Heartless
by Karaumea
Summary: He was bitter and merciless. She was clueless to what awaited her beyond the cold walls of an ancient well. In a world on the verge of destruction, will she have to fight the one she wanted to cherish above all? Inu/Kag Rated for adult content.
1. Welcome Home

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

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Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi, Hedanicree, JMaxwell, and KeiChanz for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

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Warning: Please keep in mind that this story is rated for language, violence and sexual situations.**

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

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Prologue**

A strong gust of wind blew through the meadow, sending strands of long silver hair flying wildly. Fresh blood dripped down impossibly long claws like crimson tears as the red clad figure extracted his hand from his prey's chest. The broken body in his arms fell limply at his feet; her shredded white shirt was tainted with her life's essence, and her red hakama darkened fast as it soaked up the thick liquid. Her long, black hair spread over the dirt ground, framing her now ashen face in soft waves. Her eyes were left open as she exhaled her last breath. One could see the disbelief written in them—disbelief, and the remnants of love.

But, he didn't.

His crimson eyes were already locked on his next target. The young woman in the traditional clothes of a slayer fought desperately to free her beloved husband from his binds. He was completely lost to them now with nothing left to bring him back. The small knife in the slayer's hands was no defense against his deadly claws. They knew it. He knew it.

A wicked smirk formed on his face as he cracked his knuckles in preparation.

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Chapter 1: Welcome home**

_Five weeks earlier…_

A small plexiglass window was all that separated Kagome from a seemingly endless expanse of sky blue. She sighed deeply and stretched her legs. International flights were far too long, and she couldn't wait anymore to be in her homeland. While she stared outside, she felt the plane begin to lose altitude. Moments later, the pilots announced that they were on final approach to Narita Airport, in Tokyo. One-wing dipped as the plane began to turn. She could see the large grayish blob of the megalopolis against the green backdrop of Japan now. Placing one hand on the window, she smiled. She was back.

She'd been away from home and from her family for the last three years, running from one concert to another all over the world for most of the time. When she wasn't on tour, she had locked herself in the studio for weeks.

She had walked a rocky road to reach this place in her life. At first, she was getting the education she needed to perfect her singing skills, and then, she was performing in odd places around town before she was noticed by a rich producer. She had lived through many disappointments, but she was glad that everything she had gone through had paid off in the end.

Her family had been against her decision to leave home when she had received the offer to work with one of the most prestigious music companies in the world. In spite of all the arguments they had gone through, she had been adamant in her decision to do something significant and to see the world. In the end, they had respected her wishes.

Kagome supposed she had been lucky for not having been alone in her battles with her family and in the other struggles she had survived. Houjo, her ever loyal friend from high school, had supported her in every step she had taken. In fact, she couldn't recall a single day she hadn't seen him since the day she had been released from the hospital ten years ago.

She was told that she had been in a car crash right after her high school graduation and had been in a coma for three years. She couldn't remember the accident, though. Actually, she couldn't remember many things that had taken place before the accident, either. She was supposed to recover most of her memories in time, but when nothing came back after a year of waiting, she gave up dwelling on the past. Instead, she focused on what she wanted to do with her future.

She'd had neither a college education nor had she had the will to pursue one. Having nothing else to do, Kagome had taken up singing to pass the time while she waited for her memories to return. It had helped a lot, she would admit, in expressing the feelings of loss and sorrow she had experienced since she had woken up from the coma. At the time, she hadn't thought she was good enough to make money with her new hobby. She also couldn't deny Houjo's help in rebuilding her self-confidence and gaining the courage to take the next step. He had always come to visit her at the shrine and had complimented her singing every chance he had got.

Hojou had once told her that she had been destined to do big things and that she had been wasting her life by staying at that shrine. He thought she should explore the world for its endless possibilities. In the end, he had managed to convince her to take private vocal lessons. Then, he had suggested going to America together so that she could have her chance on Broadway. That had been too big a step for her to take early on, so she had opted to stay in Tokyo for a while longer. She had sung in a few clubs in the city for a year, honing her craft. When he had come to her with the offer from her current music company, Kagome had finally agreed that it was time for her to become a real star.

It was an undeniable fact that she owed him a lot for all the support he had given in the last decade. He had done everything he could to get her out of Japan and introduce her to the rest of the world. He had been such a good friend and the best manager ever. Now, Kagome was finally going to pay him back. He had proposed to her the year after her recovery, but back then, she had not been in a state to make such decisions. He had never given up, though.

Despite her insistence on staying just friends, he had kept proposing to her at every opportunity during the last several years. Last month, the day she had turned thirty, he had taken her to dinner and had proposed again. She could remember the apprehension in his eyes. This time, however, she couldn't deny him the happiness he undoubtedly deserved. She wasn't in love with him; she never had been. However, if there was someone in this world that deserved to be loved by her, it was him. Besides, she doubted she would fall in love with someone else. She hadn't met anyone yet that made her heart beat faster, even in the smallest bit.

What was love, anyway? She sang about it everyday, but she wasn't sure she believed in it. Maybe it was something people made up to make life a little more interesting, right? That had to be it. So, there was no reason not to marry Houjo. The fact that she was now thirty was another force that drove her to change her mind about marriage. She wanted children, and she had to hurry if she was to have a family before it was too late.

They had agreed to get married as soon as possible. The only thing they had disagreed upon had been where they would settle down. She had wanted to live in Tokyo so that her children would grow up with a big family, while he had wanted nothing to do with Japan. They'd had an argument when he had learned that she had accepted the offer from another music company in Japan without his knowledge and that she would be going back to Tokyo. In the end, he had respected her wishes, and they had decided to settle down in Tokyo. She was going to stay with her family at the shrine and prepare for the wedding, which was scheduled to take place in the next month, while he dealt with all the unfinished business they had in Los Angeles. He would return to Tokyo a few days before their wedding.

She sighed when she thought about all the work she would have to do to have the perfect wedding. At least, she would have her mother's help.

Kagome came out of her musings when the plane jerked as its tires touched the ground. This was it. She was home.

* * *

Kagome made her way toward customs with her old yellow backpack on her shoulder and the handle of her large suitcase in one hand. She wondered if her family would be on time to meet her while she thumbed through her passport. Her question was answered when someone wrapped her in a huge hug the moment she stepped past the security gates. Once she realized who it was, she let go of her baggage and returned the embrace.

"Kagome, my dear, it's been so long!" That was her mother, all right. Dear old Mrs. Higurashi was as loving and as sentimental as ever. She could already feel the wetness her mother's tears left on her shoulder.

"Mama, please. It's all right. I'm back. I'm not going anywhere again! Please, don't cry." Even as she begged her mother to stop crying, she felt her own tears threatening to fall.

Fortunately, Mrs. Higurashi soon managed to compose herself, letting her daughter go to have a good look at her. "Oh my God, Kagome! You haven't changed a bit, have you? You should tell your mother how you manage to stay so young, dear. It's not nice to keep such secrets from family."

The young woman laughed at the mock reprimand in her mother's voice. She knew Mrs. Higurashi was not exaggerating. She looked exactly the same as she had when she was eighteen, only her hair was longer.

"Look who's talking! Please, Mama! You know that my secret lies within the genes I inherited from you! Really, you look as beautiful as ever." She hugged her mother again with great force. She was telling the truth; her mother looked as good as she had when she had last seen her, if not better. She was relieved to see her mother hadn't noticeably aged, because she had been afraid to see the reminders of the time they had spent apart on her face.

When Kagome finally withdrew to see who else was waiting, her eyes landed on a handsome young man with a huge smile on his face. "Souta! Look at you! You have a beard now!" She left her mother's embrace and ran to her brother's arms. She hit him with such force that he had to take a step back to regain his balance. He hugged her back tightly once he regained his composure.

"Yeah, I didn't have a choice in that matter. Ren likes it better this way, you know? Welcome back, sis." Ren was Souta's wife of two years. They had met in college and were married right after they had both graduated. Now, they were expecting their first child. Ren was still waddling toward them slowly because she was so close to being due. Less than a minute later, she was standing at her husband's side.

"And how is my little nephew doing?" Kagome asked Ren's swollen belly after leaving Souta's arms.

"Oh, he's doing all right. He's getting heavier every day. It's me you need to worry about! I think I'm going to blow up!"

Laughing, Kagome gently hugged her sister-in-law — as much as she could manage around the large belly the younger woman was sporting. Ren was a sweet girl that could find humor in even the direst situations, and Kagome adored her for that. She was so full of life; she unconsciously brightened the mood of everyone around her. Souta couldn't get any luckier, if you asked his sister.

Now that she had greeted each member of the entourage, Kagome noticed the absence of a very important part of her family. "Where's Grandpa?" she asked, turning toward her mother.

"He's waiting for us back at the shrine," Mrs. Higurashi replied. She wore a tender smile. "He _is_ getting older every day, you see. He complained that his old bones couldn't stand the long drive to the airport. He's very eager to see you, though." A brief, warm laugh bubbled up from the woman's throat. "He quite loudly made me promise not to linger and take you home the moment you stepped off the plane!"

"Well, we'd better not make him wait any longer, then. Let's go! I want to see my Grandpa!" With that, the young woman shouldered her backpack and linked her free arm with Ren's to support the waddling female. Souta grabbed her suitcase. Then, the foursome headed out of the airport to Souta's car.

* * *

"Grandpa!"

"Kagome!" The old man threw aside the newspaper he'd been reading under the shade of the Goshinboku and slowly got up from the bench. By the time he managed to get to his feet, his beloved granddaughter was already in front of him with her arms around his neck and her lips paying homage to his wrinkly, but soft cheeks.

Grandpa Higurashi was rendered speechless for all of two seconds before a rough but gleeful laugh burst from his mouth. "Slow down, young lady! You'll strangle me to death!"

"Sorry!" So excited to see her favorite old man in the world, Kagome forgot that he wasn't as strong as he used to be. His frail bones had lost the power they once possessed. Remembering that her grandfather needed to be treated with care, she hurriedly released his neck and got a hold of his hands instead.

"I've missed you so much, Grandpa! I was worried when Mama said that you weren't up to travel, but look at you! You look great and as handsome as ever! Any new girlfriends lately?"

"Are you joking? More than you can even count!" Laughing, he poked her nose with a gnarled index finger. "But I'm glad that my favorite granddaughter has finally returned to make my days brighter."

Kagome smiled warmly; her sapphire eyes lit up. "Me, too." Linking her arm with his, remembering to be gentle, she guided him to the house, where the rest of the family was busy preparing dinner. When they came inside, the dinner table was set. Ren was sitting in her usual chair while Souta helped their mother serve the dishes.

"Come on, you two! Dinner is served. Let's eat before it gets cold." Mrs. Higurashi urged them to take their seats while she served the last plate to herself.

Dinner was quite pleasant, filled with cheerful conversations about Kagome's career, Grandpa's latest exorcism attempts, and Ren's adventures at her doctor's. The conversation took a turn when Souta decided to talk about Kagome's expected wedding.

"So, sis, you're finally getting married, huh?" The tone of his voice was ambiguous; it was hard to decide whether he wanted to hear about her wedding plans or if he was trying to belittle her decision. Unfortunately, his attitude turned out to be closer to the latter.

When Kagome answered in the affirmative, not without apprehension, the retort was waiting right on the tip of Souta's tongue. "I don't like that Homo guy."

Kagome was rather taken aback with the coldness in his voice and couldn't find anything to say. Apparently, she wasn't the only one that hadn't expected such a rise out of Souta, for silence fell over the kitchen for a few seconds. Then, not a moment too soon, the quiet was abruptly broken when her brother's name fell from their mother's lips, her tone full of warning.

However, her son didn't heed the caution in his mother's voice. "No, Mama, I won't be silent about this. I honestly don't like that guy in the least bit, and I _don't_ like the fact that my sister thinks so lowly of herself to find that scum worthy of marrying. I just think she should know that."

"And why do you think that, little brother? What did Houjo ever do to you?"

"You tell me. Why the hell are you marrying that guy?"

"You don't understand. He's been such a good friend to me, and he's been by my side all those times when I was alone."

"Oh, I understand everything, sis. It's _you_ who doesn't understand shit! _He_ was the one that did everything to take you away from us in the first place! And _now_ you tell me that he's been with you when you were alone?" Souta snorted in disgust. "Of course, he would! That's why he took you away from us and from this place — so that he could have you to himself without interruption!"

"Souta!" Mrs. Higurashi's voice rang in their ears, effectively silencing her son and putting an end to the rapidly heating argument. "That's _enough_ for one night, don't you think? I don't think you should bother your sister like that on her first night here."

Taking a deep breath, Souta blew it out with a sigh, and then he thrust a hand through his hair. "You're right. I'm sorry. I got a little carried away." He turned his head to Ren and inwardly winced at the distressed look on her features, feeling slightly guilty that she had witnessed his brief lapse in temperament. "I think we should be heading home now. Come on, honey." He stood, bringing his wife up with him, and then turned to his mother and sister. All previous ire vanished. "We'll drop by tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, dear. Drive carefully!" Mrs. Higurashi stood up to walk them to the front door.

The moment they were outside, Grandpa Higurashi stood up as well, grumbling about his old bones. On his way out of the kitchen, he stopped behind his granddaughter and kissed her head. "Don't worry, dear. Everything will work out in the end. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Grandpa." Before he made it past the threshold, Mrs. Higurashi was back in her seat.

After they heard the elderly man close his door, the older woman turned to her solemn daughter. "Don't mind Souta, dear. It's just that he loves you so much and nobody is good enough for you in his eyes."

Kagome heaved a sigh and turned tired azure orbs toward the elder Higurashi. "I know that, Mama, but it still hurts. I just wish he liked my future husband as much as I like Ren. I want us to be a big family, you know? And, he _is_ my brother. It would be nice to have his support in such a life changing decision."

Mrs. Higurashi took her daughter's hand and gave her a small smile. "You _will_ have his support, dear. You just need some more time." As her daughter nodded her head, the matriarch got up to prepare some tea for the both of them. She called to her daughter while she poured water in the cups containing teabags. "Kagome?"

Kagome turned her head to look at her mother. "Yes, Mama?"

Mama Higurashi put the teacups down on the table and sat on her chair facing her child before continuing. "I don't want to pry, but I noticed something when you were arguing with Souta."

Her daughter gave her a curious look. She couldn't guess where their conversation was going. "What is it?"

Mrs. Higurashi continued while she put some sugar in her tea, moving as if they were chatting about some everyday topic like the weather. "When he asked you why you were marrying Houjo ..." Her voice trailed off.

"Yes?" Kagome still wasn't sure what her mother's intention was, but the too casual tone of her voice was unnerving.

The older woman started mixing her tea with a small spoon, keeping her eyes fixed on the teacup. "You said because he had been a good friend to you …," she trailed off again, giving her daughter a few seconds to guess what she was going to say next.

Kagome now knew where her mother was going with her inquiry, and she couldn't say she liked it. With a little hope that she was wrong, she prodded her mother to continue. "Yes, and?"

Mrs. Higurashi sighed and raised her eyes to her daughter, giving her a challenging look. "You never said you loved him."

"Oh." So, she wasn't wrong. It all came down to the one topic she didn't want to talk about.

Her reaction was enough for Mrs. Higurashi. The next time she spoke, her voice was deadly serious; she wanted answers. "You're not in love with him, are you?"

Seeing that she had no choice but to answer honestly, Kagome decided to tell her mother what she wanted to know. "No, I'm not."

"But you're going to marry him." Her mother was not accusing her, only stating the facts.

"Yes."

After having a sip from her tea, the older woman continued, "Because you think you owe him that …"

At that, Kagome felt the need to add something to justify herself, so she quickly interrupted her mother. "Yes, but it's not just that …"

"… and you think you will love him someday because he's good to you," Mrs. Higurashi concluded, not letting her daughter finish her comeback. She took another sip from her tea.

How was it that her mother knew everything that went through her mind? "How do you know everything?"

Mrs. Higurashi couldn't stop herself from chuckling at her daughter's stupefied expression. "Well, it has something to do with being a mother."

"Oh." Kagome turned her gaze to the teacup in front of her and started tracing the flower patterns on it with her index finger. She didn't look back at her mother when she heard her speak again.

"Kagome, I won't tell you how wrong I find your decision, but I'll tell you one thing to think about — something you should have known already. Love isn't always about deserving, dear. You can't choose who you're going to fall in love with." Having said what she wanted to let her daughter know all along, she stood up with her cup in hand and placed it in the sink. Then, she turned back to the girl who was sitting completely still on her chair with her head bowed down and her bangs hiding her face from view. Mrs. Higurashi sighed heavily as she hugged her daughter's shoulders and kissed her temple. "Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, Mama."

After her mother left to retire for the night, Kagome decided to go to bed as well. She put her cup in the sink and made her way upstairs to her old room. Her mind was filled with confusion by the older woman's words.

* * *

It had taken quite some time to get ready for bed since her clothes were still packed. She was bone tired when she finally put her head on the pillow. Just as she was falling into sleep, a faint voice from outside the window forced her back to consciousness. She sat up in her bed and listened more carefully. The next time she heard the voices, she recognized the sound of laughter. 'Of children?' Who would let their children outside in the courtyard at this time of night?

Grumbling about irresponsible parents, Kagome got up and made her way to her suitcase. She quickly put on the first jacket she could find and left the room to go out and scare the little monsters back to their home. Halfway downstairs, she heard her cell phone ring in her room. She swore at herself for not silencing the phone before going to bed and turned back to answer it before it woke up the entire household.

When she reached the phone to answer, she saw that it was Houjo who was calling. She sighed tiredly. Kagome wasn't in the mood to talk to him now — especially not so soon after the argument with Souta and the talk her mother had given her. She turned the phone to silent mode and went back to bed. When she finally settled down, she remembered why she had got up in the first place. However, there weren't any voices coming from outside anymore. Thinking that the children had returned home or found someone else to bother, she settled down more comfortably in her bed and instantly fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning during breakfast, she asked her mother if there were any children living nearby.

Mama answered in the negative, a look of curiosity surfacing on her features. "Why do you ask that?"

"I'm not sure, but I thought I heard children's voices last night. They were coming from the courtyard."

Her mother got misty eyed and solemn. After a while, she decided to speak her mind, although she suspected it would disturb her child. "Maybe you're hearing those voices because you wanted to have your own children by now." Just like she expected, her daughter's mouth opened in a gasp and she snapped her head up to look at her mother.

It was that moment Grandpa Higurashi entered the kitchen. "Children? Whose children are you talking about?" He looked from mother to daughter, awaiting an answer. When he received none, his eyes widened in horror. "Oh, no! Don't tell me Kagome's pregnant!"

"_No!_" both women shouted simultaneously before glancing at each other and sharing a laugh.

In the meantime, Grandpa took his seat while whispering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "Thank the gods."

When their laughter dwindled down to soft chuckles, Mrs. Higurashi told her father-in-law about the voices Kagome had heard the previous night.

What he said surprised both women. "Of course she would hear them, because there _were _children in the courtyard last night." Under their inquiring gaze, he continued, "It was those two little brats you heard. I think they live in the neighborhood, but I haven't been able to find where. It isn't the first time they've come here. They like to run away from home at night and play in the shrine grounds, the little devils." Grandpa grumbled under his breath about disrespectful children before continuing. "I'm so tired of cleaning after them every time they decide to have some fun. You see, I'm not fast enough to catch them when they come. Kagome, dear, will you be kind enough to catch them for me if you happen to see them the next time? I would like to have a word with their parents."

Kagome was relieved to hear that she wasn't losing her mind and hearing nonexistent voices. With a huge smile on her face, she agreed to do her best for her grandfather's sanity. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll catch them the moment they step into the shrine again."

* * *

After breakfast, Kagome spent all morning emptying her suitcase. She couldn't believe how much stuff she had managed to put in one bag. When she was finally done, she joined her family in the kitchen to have lunch.

Souta and Ren had already arrived before she was finished with her work upstairs. They were making fun of the latest discovery of Grandpa's. It was a dried up, shriveled relic that looked like a crow's beak, which he had found somewhere deep in the storage shed. While Grandpa insisted that it was an ancient artifact and needed to be respected, the young couple taunted him by saying that it was probably the only thing left from an unlucky crow that had accidentally entered the storage house a few years ago and had died there from starvation.

After the last comment, Grandpa kept grumbling about disrespectful grandchildren, who couldn't discern a historical artifact from a crow's beak, all through lunch. This only caused the younger members of the family to choke occasionally on their food when they laughed.

When lunch was over, Kagome offered the old priest some help to tidy the storage house so that it would be clean from corpses of pests and birds the next time he decided to explore it. The old man threw her a nasty look but he accepted her offer anyway.

After two hours of cleaning, they were both left breathless in the dusty air of the storage house. They decided to leave it for the day and have some fresh air to clean their lungs. They didn't even talk about where to go, for they had the same favorite spot in the shrine: the Goshinboku. They made their way to the ancient tree and sat down next to each other under its shade. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the old priest asked his granddaughter if she remembered the story of the Goshinboku.

Kagome smiled and shook her head; her grandfather hadn't changed a bit, always jumping at a chance to tell a story. "No, Grandpa, I don't remember. Will you tell me again?"

The old man's eyes brightened in the prospect of sharing one of his stories with the young woman. "Of course, I will! I can't remember the details, though. It's been so long since I heard it from my father." Puffing out his chest, Grandpa Higurashi straightened up and tried to look important. He then cleared his throat.

"The story is about a young and brave man who was very much in love with a beautiful priestess. They say he loved her so much that he was ready to do anything for her, even give his life. Unfortunately, the story ends badly. There was someone that didn't want them to be together and separated the loving couple with sneaky games. The poor man lost his beloved forever. It is not told what happened to him, though — he probably died of grief. They say this tree has seen all and that you can feel his spirit inside the tree if you try hard enough." Seeing that his story had the desired effect on his granddaughter, he stood up and walked back to the house to have a nap, leaving the young woman to ponder about the unfairness of destiny.

Kagome didn't know why, but the story touched something deep in her heart, bringing tears to her eyes. There, under the tree of ages, she cried for the lovers' tragic fate. She looked up at the tree with puffy eyes and wondered what it would say if it had a voice of its own. Then, she remembered her grandfather's last words. Did the young man's spirit live in the tree? Would she be able to feel him if she wanted to?

Mesmerized by the idea of touching the soul of such a special person — whose great love had become a legend — she decided to try her chance and approached the tree's bark. 'Maybe I can feel how it is to love someone like that.' She raised her hand and asked aloud for the tree's permission before she touched it. "Will you let me feel him? Please?"

Before she could touch the ancient bark of the majestic tree, someone called her name, causing her to draw her hand back as if she were caught stealing. She turned around. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who had called to her. "Houjo? Is that you?"

It was indeed Houjo calling her from the shrine's entrance. She walked towards the gates to meet him midway, all the while wondering what he was doing there when he was supposed to be in L.A. for another month.

The moment they were close enough, he hugged her strongly, knocking the wind out of her. "Gods, Kagome. I missed you so much!"

Said woman's eyes widened at the force behind the embrace. Kagome awkwardly patted his back, managing to squeak out, "O-okay, Houjo, you've seen me. Now, can you let me breathe?"

"Sorry, honey." To her relief, he let her go before explaining his presence. "I know it's been only two days, but I couldn't stand your absence and flew here just to see you for a few minutes."

"Oh. It's so sweet of you, Houjo." She gave him a weak smile, feeling guilty for her lack of enthusiasm. 'I wish I could feel the same for you.'

Luckily, he did not seem to sense her discomfort and continued with what he wanted to say. "Kagome, I know this will sound awkward to you, but you know we're getting married next month and we haven't had any intimate moments before …," he trailed off, trying to build the courage to say his next words.

However, this lapse in his speech caused disturbing thoughts to pop up in her mind. 'What?! What the hell is he talking about? Gods, he won't ask me to sleep with him now, will he?' Unnerved with where the conversation was going and wanting to hear the end of it before she killed the guy she was supposed to marry, Kagome raised one eyebrow at him to indicate to him that he needed to finish what he was going to say.

"Will you let me kiss you just once?" At her wide-eyed look, he quickly added, "I mean, it would be something to help me stand being away from you until the wedding."

Once her initial shock was over, Kagome considered his request. When she thought about it, it was quite reasonable, considering that this man was going to be her husband soon. She accepted, thinking that it was his right to at least have a little intimacy with her before the wedding. So, she closed her eyes and waited for him to kiss her.

The moment his lips touched hers, bile rose in Kagome's throat and she wanted to push him away. Before she could raise her hand to do so, she felt him being pushed back by another force. When she opened her eyes, she saw Houjo on the ground with a man standing in front of him. He was a very handsome man with long black hair, dressed in an expensive looking suit, and he stood tall and strong.

When he spoke to her downed fiancé, she learned that his voice was as strong as his appearance. "Please accept my apologies. I didn't see you there. I was in a hurry and behaved carelessly." Then, he turned to her, took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "My lady."

Kagome was left speechless by the man's elegant manners. 'Oh my, I didn't know there were still such gentlemen living in this century.' She opened her mouth to say something — anything — to the courteous man, but before she could utter a word, she was cut off by the loud voice of her grandfather.

"Takahashi, you old dog, where did you come from?!" Wearing a huge smile on his crinkled face, the old priest hurried to their side and bowed to the man. The stranger bowed in return. Then, Grandpa Higurashi introduced the man, who was obviously one of his old acquaintances, with pride in his voice. "Kagome, dear, this gentleman here is the owner of the production company you will be working for."

Her mouth dropped open in surprise, and she looked from her new boss to her grandfather. Then, her expression turned to one of confusion. "Takahashi? Why does that name sound familiar?"

This time, it was Mr. Takahashi who answered. "It should be familiar. It was Ren's last name before she married your brother, after all."

"Then does that mean …"

"I'm her father, yes, and I remember meeting you once at their wedding."

"Oh, please forgive my lack of memory. I haven't been lucky in that department the past few years."

"Please, don't worry about it. I'm happy to see you again, though. I recently bought this company and wanted to work with you since I have been an admirer of yours for a long time."

"You have? Oh, I'm so flattered!" Suddenly remembering her fiancé, Kagome turned to introduce him to her new boss, but Houjo was already gone.

Before she could wonder where he had gone, Mr. Takahashi spoke again, drawing her attention back to him. "It has been indeed a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Higurashi, but I need to go now. You know how it is — Time is money."

She watched the handsome businessman go while she listened to her grandfather talk about how much Mr. Takahashi helped their shrine and how good a chess player he was. Hearing her mother call her to help prepare dinner, she excused herself and ran back to the house.

While Kagome cut the vegetables, she told her mother about her new producer. It turned out that her mother already knew everything, and she was well acquainted with the businessman. It wasn't a surprise to her, since they had been relatives for a while. Apparently, Kagome was the only one that didn't know Ren's family well, since she hadn't been home since Souta's wedding.

In all the excitement over her meeting with Mr. Takahashi, Kagome forgot all about Houjo's disappearance and what happened before that — until she went to bed.

* * *

Kagome turned in her bed for maybe the hundredth time that night. Try as she might, sleep didn't come to her. Thoughts she tried to chase away refused to leave her alone, as if they were the devil harassing her.

'**What if Mama's right? Is it a mistake to marry Houjo?'**

"Of course not!" she said out loud in an attempt to reassure herself. She shook her head at her stupidity. She was talking to herself, which probably meant she was going crazy. But, the little voice continued to taunt her.

'**And why is that?'**

'Because he's the nicest guy ever and we get along very well. Who wouldn't love someone like him?'

'**Hmm, I don't know … you, perhaps?'**

'Shut up.'

'**What if being nice isn't really enough? What if love isn't about deserving?'**

'It has to be enough and it will be enough! Besides, I already promised him and I can't go back on my word now.'

'**Can't you?'**

'No, I can't! The wedding is next month, for God's sake! It's too late to change my mind now.'

'**Like you said, the wedding is next month. You still have time to back out, you know?'**

'I can't do that to him. I'm not that cruel.'

'**So you would marry someone you don't love just to keep your promise?'**

'Yes, I would. And, for your information, I like Houjo enough and I will love him someday.'

'**Then why did it feel so wrong when he kissed you?'**

'...' Not finding the words to snap at the little voice of doubt as she did before, Kagome crossed her arms and raised her nose arrogantly like a small, spoiled child.

'**You know, marriage is not only about saying yes in the ceremony. You can't stand even a small kiss, how will you sleep with him when the time comes? And that is not too far away, if you haven't noticed.'**

For that, she didn't have an answer. She sighed heavily and got up. It was obvious she wouldn't be able to sleep. There was no use in trying anymore. Her eyes caught the view outside the window. It was a moonless night. If it wasn't for the faint glow of the street lamps, she wouldn't be able to decipher the vague shapes of the small buildings in the courtyard.

"So dark, just like my mind." She shook her head, as if to scatter the gloomy mood she found herself in, and she turned away from the darkness of the outside world. After turning on the bedside lamp, she made her way to the wardrobe. "It's all better now. It's just pre-wedding jitters, and I know just the thing that will make me feel better."

Kagome took out the large bag hanging in her wardrobe and placed it on her bed. She opened the zipper and took out the elegant, white fabric embroidered with small shiny stones. It was the dress she bought for her wedding back in L.A. She quickly took off her clothes to try on her wedding gown. When she was dressed, she made her way to the full-length mirror on the wall next to her wardrobe. She smiled at how beautiful she looked in it. The strapless top of the dress hugged her waist tightly, its mildly low-cut neck complimenting her breasts, while its skirts flared out in delicate waves down to the floor. She pulled her hair up with a hairpin to see how it would look that way. 'The perfect dress for the perfect wedding.' Inspecting her gown from the hem of its skirts up, she caught her gaze in the mirror. 'But, am I the perfect bride?'

She was so lost in her thoughts that she jumped in fear when she heard a sudden noise. She put one hand on her heart, as if to keep it from falling out of her chest, and tried to listen to the sounds coming from outside instead of the sound of her heartbeat banging loudly in her ears. When she heard it again, Kagome realized that it was the children from the previous night. They were screaming and laughing so loudly that she was surprised the entire household wasn't awake already.

Remembering the promise she made to her grandfather that morning, Kagome took off downstairs to catch the little devils and give them a piece of her mind. She cursed as she stepped on the hem of her skirt and fell on her knees. After standing up with difficulty, she pulled her skirt up and ran out the front door and into the shrine grounds. The voices were coming from the direction of the Goshinboku, and she rushed there to reach the children before they took off again. When she finally arrived at the base of the tree, there were no children around, and she couldn't hear them anymore.

Kagome leaned her back against the bark of the tree to catch her breath. The next moment, she could neither feel her fatigue, nor the chill of the night. All she felt was the unbelievable warmth that poured from the tree at her back. Its energy seeped into every pore of her body and her heart. She gasped when she felt another heartbeat within her and whirled around to face the tree. There was nobody there except her, but she could swear that she felt another presence next to her.

Slowly, she put her hand on the tree's bark and dropped to her knees at the intense feelings of loneliness, sorrow, longing, and desire that filled her soul. They shocked her to the core of her being. As tears flowed down her cheeks, she raised her head to look at the tree's branches, hoping to get a glimpse of the one that was responsible for this mysterious experience. She knew it was futile, though, for she somehow knew who had caused her to feel those emotions. It was _him_, the man from her grandfather's story, and he wasn't there anymore — that is, if he had ever been there in the first place.

"Did you come for us?"

She gasped and turned to see two small figures holding hands, standing in the shadows. She couldn't see them clearly in the darkness, but it was obvious that they were the ones she had been looking for. "Yes." Kagome slowly stood up and faced the children. "What are you doing out here this late at night?"

"We came out to play. Will you play with us?" It was the other child that spoke this time.

From their voices, she could make out that the first one that spoke was a girl, and the other one was a boy.

"I would love to play with you, but isn't it a little late to be out of bed? Won't your parents be worried about you?"

"You should come and play with us. Please?"

Kagome turned to the little girl and smiled at the pleading tone of her voice. Gods, she was going to reprimand them, wasn't she? But they were so adorable, and she found it hard to say no to them.

"Okay, I'll play with you, but only for a little while, and then you'll have to go back to your home. Deal?" When the children screamed with happiness, she had to shush them in mock anger. "And another thing! The next time you want to play, you'll come during the day, okay? Otherwise, I won't play with you again."

"Come on already, we're late!" With that, they started running away from her.

"Hey! Wait up! Late for what?!" Pulling the front of her skirt up, Kagome took off after the children, keeping them in sight.

"You'll see!"

She realized that they were running in the direction of the well house. The structure was built to cover a dry well that was considered sacred; it was definitely dangerous for small children. "Hey! Don't go in there!" To her dismay, they dove in the building even before she finished her sentence.

"Oh, no, no, no, no! I'll be dead if they fall in." She rushed inside the well house and stopped at the sight before her. It was even darker there, but she could clearly make out their small forms standing on the lid of the well.

They looked back at her and said, "Come on already!" and jumped into the well.

Kagome screamed in horror, and without thinking, she jumped in after them.

* * *

In the meantime, the old man watching the action through the kitchen window smiled sadly. His daughter cried on his shoulder. He caressed her hair to comfort the scared mother as he whispered to himself, "So it begins ..."

* * *

End of Chapter 1


	2. Through the Well

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi, Hedanicree, JMaxwell, and KeiChanz for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 2: Through the Well**

The young woman opened her eyes to darkness. She had jumped into the well after the children without thinking, but the expected impact with the ground had never come. Instead, she found herself kneeling on solid ground without any pain in her limbs. Why wasn't she now crumpled at the base of the well?

Panicking, she started checking her body for any sign of injuries. Nothing. There wasn't even a scratch. Kagome sighed in relief before remembering why she was there in the first place. Her fear resurfaced, and she began frantically searching for the two children she had seen fall into the well right before her.

"Children, are you okay? Are you hurt?" She began feeling the small space for their small forms while she called out to them. Her terror doubled when she didn't get a response. There could be only two reasons for the silence — either they were unconscious, or ... or they were dead. Neither of these options was good.

She almost laughed with relief and joy when she realized that she was alone in the dark hole. Now, all she had to do was find out how the little menaces got out of there so she could do the same. It would be no use calling out for help, for she was sure the children couldn't help her. The two other people who could help her were asleep in the house.

She got up and began searching the walls of the well for some suitable place to climb up. She was surprised when her hands closed on a kind of rope. 'No, not a rope … a vine?' "So much for taking good care of the shrine, Grandpa," she grumbled. "How come you let your precious well get infected with wild plants?" She pulled on the vine to test its strength and was happy that it seemed strong enough to carry her weight. "Ha! But I'm glad you did!"

She climbed up and out of the well with great difficulty. It was hard to find some place on the wall large enough to put her foot. The fact that her dress was too long and heavy for climbing didn't help either. When she finally reached the lid of the well, she pushed against the wooden structure and forced her body out. She moaned loudly at the pain in her muscles as she propped herself against the wooden side.

Opening her eyes after her breath returned to normal, she gasped at the sight before her. Stars. Thousands, no, millions of stars were blinking at her from the open night sky. 'Are there really so many stars in the sky?' It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. But there was something nagging at the back of her mind, telling her that something was wrong with this sight. Then, it dawned on her. 'Wait a minute. There should be a roof here.' She sat up to look around her. The dawn was approaching, but it was still dark, and she was no longer in the well house.

She could vaguely make out the shapes of trees surrounding the clearing she rested in. 'How can this be possible?' The only rational explanation she could think of was that she slid through some kind of tunnel connecting the well she fell into and the one she climbed out of. But, she could swear she hadn't felt such a thing. She hadn't felt her body contact with anything until she realized she was kneeling on the ground.

She stood up on shaky legs, still trying to understand how she ended up there. She searched her surroundings for something familiar. Then, she heard the one thing that started this whole mess. The children's laughter rang in her ears, and to her, it was the most beautiful song she had ever heard. Relieved that she wasn't alone in this weird place, she sprinted in the direction the voices were coming from.

After a few moments of running, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her. A few steps in front of her stood the Goshinboku, the ancient tree she had seen a half an hour ago in her shrine. Despite the darkness shading the lines and colors of the tree, she knew it was the Goshinboku. There could be no other to match its glory in this world.

Her eyes shining in wonder, she slowly took a few steps toward the tree. When she was close enough to touch it, she stepped on something soft and unstable beneath her naked foot. She screamed in terror the moment she registered that the thing her foot contacted was also — 'Warm?' In her panic to get away from the possibly living creature she stepped on, she lost her balance and fell on her butt with a loud "ooof."

It was still too dark to see, but she could make out that the thing looked suspiciously like a human being. Still scared, but now also worried that she might have hurt someone, she cautiously approached the unmoving figure. It was half-laying on the ground with its back supported by the tree's bark. She cautiously poked its leg with one finger. No response. Feeling more confident now that she knew it was not conscious, and thus not dangerous, she toddled on her knees to take a closer look. She gasped as she realized that it was a man with long, dark hair.

"Hey," she called out to the man to make sure he wasn't dead. "Hey, are you okay?" When she didn't get an answer to her calls, she touched the man's shoulder — or was it his chest? — and shook him to wake him up. He didn't make a sound, and she started to get a bad feeling from the wetness of his clothes under her hand. She drew her hand back and sniffed her fingers. Her eyes widened in horror at the smell of blood. 'He is injured!'

"Oh, gods! Help me!" she cried out. She started to shake uncontrollably while tears sprang to her eyes. "What shall I do?" Knowing that she would be of no help to him if she acted like a drama queen, she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

Kagome reached for his clothes to check his injuries. The darkness was seeping away by the minute, and by the time she managed to get his kimono open and out of her way, she was able to see that he had been impaled through his chest by something large and sharp. Luckily, the thing that caused his injury was no longer in his body. However, he was bleeding heavily and had been for God knew how long. She needed to stop the bleeding in some way.

Thinking quickly, she reached the hem of her skirt and ripped away some fabric with a great deal of effort. After she cleaned the wound as much as she could, she ripped more pieces off of her wedding gown to use as bandages. She was done in record time, and she sighed in relief seeing that, while the bleeding continued, her efforts did much to lessen the amount.

The sun was about to rise now, and Kagome raised her head to look at the man's face to see what he looked like. The first thing she noticed was that he was no longer unconscious. Instead, he was watching her with a shocked look in his gray eyes. The second thing she noticed was that he was beautiful. No other word was enough to describe him. He was so beautiful that she couldn't take her eyes off of his. She was so mesmerized, she forgot any sense of self-consciousness under his intense gaze or that she was in the middle of a strange forest. She even forgot that he was seriously wounded.

To her surprise, his disbelieving expression turned to one of affection, causing him to look even more beautiful. He slowly raised his hand and touched her face with the tips of his fingers. Her breath hitched in her throat. His touch felt so intimate, the young woman idly wondered why she wasn't scared by his bold moves. Without noticing, she leaned her face toward his hand, letting him cup her cheek. He started softly caressing her cheek with his thumb. His gaze followed the lines of her face with that affectionate look never leaving his eyes. She couldn't help it, and she touched his face, too.

The moment her fingers contacted his cheek, the first rays of the sun fell over his eyes, and she felt him pulse under her fingers. Before she could wonder about the strange vibrations, the dark haired, gray-eyed man in front of her was gone. In his place sat the most amazing being she had ever seen in her life. He looked heavenly with his long, shiny, silver-white hair and mesmerizing golden eyes — each one rivaling the sun itself — framed by long dark eyelashes and black eyebrows. She believed that even more when she noticed the two triangular dog ears, the same color as his hair, sitting atop his head. 'Is he some type of Egyptian God?'

Before Kagome could utter a word, he buried his nose in her neck and hugged her waist with his strong arms. She didn't understand what happened to him or what he was doing to her at that moment, but she was in no shape to ask questions. Her heart was beating so fast, she was afraid that she was going to have a heart attack. This man looked as if he had come out of a fairytale, and she found herself unable to resist anything he would choose to do to her.

After taking a few deep sniffs from her neck and leaving her shivering from his breath, he raised his head to look at her face. He never let his hold on her waist slacken. She came face to face with him, their noses almost touching, and before she got lost in his eyes, she opened her mouth. "W-who are you?" she stuttered.

He looked confused at her question, so she tried another one. "What are you?"

Since he still looked confused, she wondered if he could understand her at all. 'Maybe he doesn't speak Japanese.'

After a few moments, the look of confusion left his face, and he raised both his eyebrows at her as if some realization dawned upon him. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it suddenly as his nose started twitching. She could have laughed if she wasn't so curious about what he was doing. 'Is he sniffing the air?'

To her amusement, his ears started twitching too. Then, his eyes narrowed to slits and his gaze, as well as his ears, locked in the direction behind her. Before she could ask what he was doing, he jumped to his feet with incredible speed and agility, bringing her with him as well. He pushed her behind him and started growling menacingly. 'Growling? He _is_ growling, isn't he?'

"Stay back, you assholes!" he shouted.

This was the first time she heard his voice, and he was already cussing. 'There goes my fairy tale theory. He is no prince charming.' Shaking her head at her thoughts, she redirected her attention to him.

In order to see whom he was shouting at, she rose on her tiptoes. Resting her hands on his back, she peeked above his shoulder. Armored men with torches, swords or bows in their hands were coming out of the trees. To her, they looked like the Japanese soldier figures she had seen in some of the ancient scrolls her grandfather hanged on the walls of his room. There were maybe a hundred of them and none looked friendly. She wondered if this was some kind of a movie shoot.

"Surrender, demon! You can't escape this time!" shouted one of the soldiers that seemed to be the leader of the group.

His dramatic response increased her suspicions. 'Yes, this must be some kind of a fantasy movie shoot, and what happened with him before was just a visual effect — a very realistic visual effect.'

"You think you can catch me that easily?! Think again, you moron!" The moment the silver-haired dog-god finished his words, he was impaled through his right arm with an arrow.

Kagome — who had been thinking that this was the part of the scene where the main character was going to draw his sword and perform some artistic moves with it — was shocked to see the arrow go through his arm and its head appear on the other side of the appendage. That was enough for her to realize that this was real and they were in serious danger. That realization, along with the blood pouring out of his arm, brought a scream out of her, drawing the soldiers' attention.

"What do you have there, demon? A human girl?" asked one of the soldiers to their left.

Hearing that, their leader shouted again, "Keep your filthy hands away from her! Hand her to us now!" At his signal, the archers drew their bows and took aim at him.

Without thinking, she threw herself in front of him, effectively blocking most of his body from their view. "Stop it, you monsters!" she cried out. "You're going to kill him!"

"My, such a clever girl," said the leader sarcastically. "Get away from him! He's dangerous!"

'Dangerous? _He_'s the one that's dangerous?!' She knew they would most likely kill him the instant she was out of the way, so she stayed where she was. "No! I won't leave him! You'll kill him!"

"Then, you will die with him, you foolish girl!"

She heard her silver-haired god growl against her back, but couldn't decide whether he was angry at her for protecting him like a child and throwing herself into danger, or he was angry at them for threatening to kill her. She felt his good arm go around her waist, probably to get her out of harm's way or maybe he was going to use her as a shield, who knew? She couldn't learn his intention because whatever it was he was going to do was stopped by a new voice coming from behind the leader of the group.

"No! Stop it, you idiots!" A man dressed like a monk rushed to the scene shouting at the soldiers. The long staff in his right hand was still jingling madly when he stopped in front of the leader and continued shouting. "You shouldn't hurt the girl! She's a priestess!"

"How do you know that, monk?" asked the leader bitterly. He looked uncomfortable when he heard the word priestess. He looked at the newcomer as if he had crushed his greatest dreams with one word.

The monk was unfazed by the leader's attitude. "I can feel her aura, you idiot!" he snapped. Then, he turned to the odd couple. "Inuyasha! Let the girl go! You can't escape with her!"

She knew what the monk said was true. Regardless of how powerful he might be, he was seriously wounded and he barely managed to keep himself up. She didn't know if he wanted to save her from these people, but she knew that he couldn't even if he wanted to, for he had only one arm left to fight with. Besides, it didn't seem like they wanted to kill her anyway. Hoping against hope that he could manage to escape in that state, she whispered to him, "Go, please, just go."

Sighing, he tightened his arm around her waist and buried his face in her neck, sending shivers down her spine. After taking a deep breath, he raised his mouth to her ear and softly whispered, "I'll come back for you."

His breath on her ear made her knees go weak, and she had to lean back against his chest to keep standing. However, when she fell back against the tree's bark instead of his chest, she realized that he was already gone. She looked around expecting to see his running figure and smiled when she found no trace of him anywhere.

Turning back to face the crowd, she was met with the angry stares of the soldiers. 'Okay, now what?'

End of Chapter 2


	3. Hostage

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi, Hedanicree, and JMaxwell for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 3: ****Hostage**

She was getting nervous under the stares of the soldiers. She expected the looks of hostility, but was surprised to see several amorous gazes directed her way. She looked down at herself nervously. Her precious wedding dress was covered in blood in the front, and the hem of her skirt was tattered. However, she didn't see anything uncovered except her shoulders.

'What jerks! Haven't they ever seen a woman in a strapless dress before?' Her rising anger did nothing to alleviate her self-consciousness, and she tried to cover her shoulders with her hands. She freed her waist-length hair, let it fall in soft waves down her back and passed some of it over her shoulder to cover her front. 'That's better than nothing.'

While she had been trying to cover herself, the soldiers began to disperse, their interest in her lost already. The only ones that remained were their leader and the monk who probably saved her life. They were arguing heatedly in hushed tones, occasionally throwing a glance her way. Try as she might, she couldn't hear what was being said. In the end, the monk was obviously the winner, for the leader turned and stomped out of the clearing. She watched the man's rigid form disappear behind the trees as the monk approached her, his gaze locked on the front of her blood-soaked dress.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She smiled at his concern. Finally, someone was acting like a normal human being. "Yes, I'm perfectly fine. Thank you." When he continued to gaze at her ruined clothing, she added, "It's not my blood."

He looked relieved and smiled back at her. "I'm glad. I was so scared when I saw you out there."

Talking to someone with gentlemanly manners made her remember her own. "Thank you, kind sir, for protecting me back there. For a moment, I thought they were going to shoot me." She chuckled nervously before introducing herself, "I'm Kagome, by the way. And, you are?"

He looked surprised for a moment, and she couldn't help but think that what she had said must have seemed unusual to him. 'What? Are the women around here as rude as the men?'

He composed himself in a few seconds and gave her a charming smile. "Call me, Miroku. And, don't even mention it. I'm just glad I was successful."

She smiled back at him. Now that the adrenalin rush was over, she turned back to her real problem and asked him the first thing she wanted to know. "Umm, Miroku, could you tell me where this place is?"

Seeming intrigued, he cocked his head to one side and regarded her carefully. "You don't know where you are?"

She gave him a sheepish grin and confessed her stupidity, "Honestly? I have no idea."

He didn't seem to think she was stupid, though. "We're in the Musashi region."

"Musashi?" The name sounded familiar. She knew she had heard it before, but couldn't remember where.

Before she could ponder more, he continued, "How did you come here if you didn't know where you were going? Did you get lost?"

That was the strangest part, and she was sure he would think that she was crazy. "I'm not exactly sure. Now, it may sound weird, but I fell down a well at my family's shrine and I climbed out of the one out there. I guess there must be some sort of tunnel connecting the wells, but I don't remember going through one."

He didn't seem to find that explanation as strange as she would have imagined he would. Instead, he simply raised his eyebrows at her. "That sounds interesting. I don't think there is a tunnel under that well, though. Trust me, I would know."

There went the only explanation that didn't involve her being insane, but she tried to keep her hopes up. If there was a way here, there had to be a way back. "Do you know the way to the Higurashi shrine?"

"Higurashi shrine?" he asked.

The tone of his voice suggested that she was not going to get the answer she wanted to hear, but she pushed her luck anyway. "Yes, you know, the most famous shrine in Tokyo?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, his free hand scratching his chin. When he spoke, she was not happy with what she heard. "Hmm, never heard of it."

"Oh." She dropped her eyes to the ground, feeling helpless.

He must have felt bad for her, for he continued in an apologetic tone, "Look, we're very close to the village I live in. Why don't you come with me? We can ask the villagers if anyone knows the way to this Tokyo place."

That did not sound like a bad suggestion, but in spite of what he said about the well, she still wanted to see it for herself. "I would like to see this village of yours, but I want to check the well first." She gave him an appeasing smile before continuing, "There must be a way in there. After all, most of the time the exit is the same place as the entrance, right?" Convinced by her own words, she was eager to go back and find her way back home. "Well, it was nice meeting you and all, but I have to get back home. Bye, Miroku!" She turned around in the direction of the well and started walking away at a fast pace.

She was stopped by a strong hand gripping her arm. When she turned back, she saw the monk looking at her with a serious expression. She was surprised to say the least. Did he finally remember something that would help her? "What?"

"I'm afraid I cannot let you go," he said. Gone was the kind monk she had been talking to for the last ten minutes, and in his place stood a menacing man with a hard edge to his voice.

"What?! Why?!" she cried out.

He didn't seem to be affected by the fright in her voice, nor did he appear to care about the fact that his grip was bruising her arm. "Because I have to bring you back to the village. You helped the enemy escape, and you'll need to be questioned."

"Enemy? What enemy? Let me go!" She struggled to free herself futilely. "You can't make me stay here! I don't care about your business! I have to go home!"

"I'm sorry, my lady, but my life is at stake if I let you go. So, please forgive me for this." With that, he touched her neck with two fingers. The last thing she saw was the ground coming closer to meet her face.

* * *

"Why did you bring her here, Miroku?"

"I didn't have a choice, my love."

The first thing Kagome noticed when she came to was how loud the voices sounded. She wanted to tell them to stop talking but she found herself unable to open her mouth.

"What are we going to do with her?" It was a woman's voice.

Kagome tried to open her eyes to see her surroundings but failed in her attempt. She realized she didn't have control of her body for some reason after trying to move her arms to sit up. Having no choice but to lay there motionless, so she decided to pay attention to what was being said. After a few seconds, the other person in the room, whom she could make out to be Miroku from his voice, decided to answer the woman's question.

"We'll do what we have to. She's a priestess and she helped Inuyasha escape. We can't let her go. Lady Keiko will want to see her."

It was obvious that they were talking about her. 'They really won't let me go, will they?'

"You think so?" The woman sounded uncertain.

"I know so," replied the monk. "I believe she already received the news and she will want to question her." There was silence for a few seconds, then he spoke again with a certain authority in his voice. "Be prepared, Sango. We'll travel to the castle tomorrow."

Kagome was getting more agitated by the second. 'Castles, ladies, priestesses? What the hell is going on here? What do they want from me?!'

"Travel? I don't like this, Miroku."

The woman, Sango, sounded scared, and it angered Kagome to no end. 'Why the hell is _she_ scared?! Hello! I'm the one being kidnapped here!'

"Neither do I, my love." From the affectionate tone of his voice, and the sound of someone moving, she guessed the young monk was trying to comfort this Sango woman, who was obviously his lover.

"How will we pull this off?" asked Sango. "You know that anything can happen on the way!" Apparently, Miroku's attempt did nothing to cool the woman's nerves, for she sounded even more panicked now.

"We'll just need to be extra careful." The monk's voice softened as he continued, "Don't worry. He was severely wounded, and I believe he'll need a few days to heal. He won't be around to cause trouble and he wouldn't send his troops to attack us."

The only 'he' Kagome knew to be wounded was the dog-eared god she met earlier. Inuyasha, as the monk called him. 'She's scared of Inuyasha? Does she think he will attack them?'

"I'm not so sure," mumbled Sango. "It's Inuyasha, and if I know anything about him, things might get a little too bloody around here."

That got Kagome's attention. Sango talked about Inuyasha as if he was some killing machine. 'Is he really that dangerous? But, he didn't hurt me.'

"We'll do what needs to be done, Sango, and worry about the rest when it comes to it. You just be careful with her. We don't know what she might do."

"I will."

While she listened to the conversation, Kagome realized that she was now able to move her mouth. When she opened her lips to ask him what he meant by needing to be careful about her, a loud moan came out instead of words. A sudden stroke of pain ripped through her head, rendering her incapable of even thinking.

In an instant, she felt a coldness on her forehead. She opened her eyes with great difficulty, and was met with two brown eyes looking down at her with concern. "Are you okay? Where do you hurt?" asked the owner of those gentle orbs.

"It's my head. Gods, what happened to me?" Talking was not a good idea, Kagome noticed with regret when she was struck with another wave of pain.

"Don't force yourself to talk," chastised the brown-eyed woman before offering her patient a cup filled with a strange, steamy liquid. "Drink this. It'll help you get better." She helped Kagome raise her head to drink the hot liquid with a horrible smell. She didn't let her go until she finished the foul tasting mixture.

After she was done, Kagome had to force herself not to throw up. With a weak 'thank you,' she closed her eyes and laid back. Her stomach felt like there were hundreds of worms dancing in it. 'How is this supposed to help me?' However, she had to accept that her headache had already lessened significantly. A few minutes later, there was no trace of it.

"How do you feel now?" It was the woman again.

"Much better." Kagome opened her eyes to look at the owner of the voice. She looked beautiful, this 'Sango.' With the soft lines of her face, her waist-length brown hair flowing down her back like water and her shapely figure, she looked like a sculpture. After openly inspecting the woman for a few moments, Kagome's eyes fell on the other occupant of the small room. "You! You did this to me, didn't you?"

Miroku smiled at the sudden change in her attitude. Then, his face turned solemn when he spoke, but the strange twinkle in his eyes remained the same. "Unfortunately, yes. I hope you can forgive me. You left me no choice."

Kagome tried to get up and failed. Finally, after rejecting the offered hands for a few trials, she grudgingly accepted Sango's help to sit up and turned back to the monk with all the dignity she could muster. "Why? What you did is called kidnapping! You can't force me to stay here. You have no right!"

"I'm afraid you're in no position to question my rights."

This Miroku guy was confusing her. He was kind and nice one moment, and in the next, he would turn cold, distant and ... and ... 'frightening,' she finished in her head feeling scared of the monk for the second time since they met. He must have felt her discomfort because he obviously tried to look apologetic before he continued.

"Look, we're in a war, and in war, you do what you have to. It's as simple as that."

"War? Which war?" She was certainly missing something. Since when was there a war in Japan? If there was, she would have definitely heard of it. It was hard to miss those kinds of things thanks to the media. Even if she failed to hear about it in some way, wouldn't her family have mentioned it at least once?

Growing tired of her ignorance, the monk continued his explanation slowly, as if he was letting her read his lips in case she had hearing problems. "The war between the human race and the demons."

"Demons?" At his nod, Kagome put her head in her hands supported by her elbows on her knees. What was this guy talking about? "Oh, my head is aching again," she mumbled. She still didn't know where exactly she was, or how she came to be there, but she was now sure of one thing. Wherever this place was, it was filled with crazy people. Maybe it was some kind of asylum? "I don't understand what you're talking about." She raised her head to look at the man in the eye, hoping that he would be able to understand her words. "First of all, there are no demons. You guys must have lost your minds."

The monk snickered at that. Obviously, the delusional man found her quite amusing. "You're sure there are no demons? If I remember correctly, you just met one this morning."

She gasped, remembering the dog-eared god once more. "He was a demon?"

Pleased that he hit the mark, Miroku's smile got wider, showing most of his white teeth. "Of course, he was. How else can you explain what you saw back there?"

"Ummm, special effects?" asked Kagome.

At the blank looks she received, she rolled her eyes. "Never mind." Getting tired of arguing with these people, she decided to go with their explanations. "What exactly is a demon? I mean, you're not talking about creatures from hell, are you?"

Sango, who had been silent for a long time, jumped at her question. "Oh, no, no, they're not from hell. Although, some of them would suit there better, I guess. They are magical creatures, some of which possess immense power to destroy humans."

"Magical?"

"Yes."

Sango sounded confident in her answer, but Kagome couldn't stop herself from expressing her doubt. "Are you telling me that magic exists?"

"What? You thought it didn't?" asked Sango with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Kagome didn't answer, but her face betrayed her disbelief.

This time, Miroku spoke up, "Surprising from someone who possesses magical powers herself."

Now, that was funny. The girl couldn't hide the laughter in her voice as she asked, "Who? Me?"

Miroku didn't seem to be having fun, though. "Yes, you. Don't you know you possess spiritual powers?"

The seriousness in his tone and the agitated look on his face forced Kagome to re-evaluate her conclusion about him making fun of her. "I do?"

"Yes, you do," supplied the monk. "But I'm guessing you don't know how to use them, since you didn't even know you had them. Am I right?"

She nodded her head sheepishly. 'Spiritual powers? How can I have them when I don't know what they are?'

He sighed exasperatedly, leaning his head back against the wall behind him and closing his eyes in the process. "Perfect, just what we needed." His voice dripped with sarcasm. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke again in a tired voice without opening his eyes. "Well then, let's hope you won't need to use them at all."

Sango chose that moment to get up. She left the room, saying that she needed to check the children. Before she was out the door, she threw a warning glance at Miroku and told him to behave himself. The monk rolled his eyes.

'Behave?' Kagome wanted to ask what that was about before another question invaded her mind. "Children? Does she have children?" she asked Miroku.

"Yes, in fact, _we_ do have children."

"So you guys are married?"

"Yes?" He looked surprised for a moment, then his face lightened in understanding. "Oh, I didn't introduce her at all, did I? Forgive my rudeness. That beautiful lady was Sango, my beloved wife of fifteen years."

Kagome noticed how his expression softened when he talked about Sango. 'He must love her so much.'

"Oh, that's nice," she said. Having nothing else to add, she opted to stay silent for a while, which gave her the chance to think through the strange situation she found herself in. Her mind was being bombarded with questions, but there was something particularly important she needed to know to evaluate her situation more clearly. "Hey, Miroku?"

"Yes?"

"You didn't tell me why you can't let me go. What did I do? I don't have anything to do with this war. I didn't even know there was a war!"

The monk looked at her with pity written on his face. "Now you know, and I'm sorry to inform you that you got yourself involved in this war as of this morning."

Her chin dropped at his words. 'Involved in a war?! What the hell!' Her mind was screaming at her, and she found herself unable to speak. With great difficulty, she uttered the only thing she could manage to get out of her trembling lips. "H-how?"

Sighing, he decided to let her know how she got herself into this mess once and for all. "First of all, and I'm saying this for the last time, you helped the enemy escape."

"You mean Inuyasha? He is your enemy?"

"I just said that, didn't I?"

Sensing his irritation, Kagome kept herself from snapping back at him in case he would change his mind and leave her in the darkness.

"That man is a very critical element in this war," he continued. "You just saved the general of the demon armies, and the prince of the Inu clan from him down would be a great victory for the human army."

She was surprised to hear those words. 'He is a general? But ... but ...' She couldn't help but voice her thoughts in spite of her fear of angering him, "He didn't seem dangerous to me."

That obviously sounded amusing rather than irritating to him, for he gave a loud laugh before continuing, "Ask that to the others around you. He's the most dangerous one for them, because he's the hardest to catch. The methods used to capture demons do not work on him."

"Why not?" she asked.

"First of all, because he's not a full demon, he can't be killed by purification alone. The few times in the last few years they were able to purify him, he always managed to escape. Second, he's an extremely skilled fighter, maybe the best out there. Finally, there's one way that works on every demon you can corner, but he's immune to that too, because he has a spell protecting him."

Silence. So, she was involved in a war for protecting the humans' most wanted enemy. She knew that there were neither rules nor rights in a war. And above all, she knew that people would become merciless not to be defeated by their enemies. She was in some serious trouble, wasn't she?

"What will you do to me?" She felt strangely ashamed of the tremor she couldn't keep from her voice. After all, Kagome wasn't some brave warrior who fell hostage to the enemy while fighting for a cause she believed with all her heart. She was only a normal woman who just learned that her life was in danger. So, it was normal to be afraid, right?

Nevertheless, the compassion in his face did nothing to make her feel better. "Don't be scared," he soothed. "We will take you to the castle. You will see Lady Keiko, a powerful priestess who has done a lot in this war for the humans. I don't think she will be too harsh on you. You're lucky that you're a priestess. She'll probably prefer to use your help instead of imprisoning you."

Silence again. Miroku didn't even mention the possibility of her being executed. That was a good sign. Maybe she really didn't need to worry about her life. She would just need to see this Lady Keiko and explain herself. If she was lucky, Kagome would convince her to let her go home.

Feeling much better, she slid back on the mattress she had been sitting on and leaned back to the wall. Sighing, she started exploring the room she was in. Almost everything around her was wooden: the walls, the floor and the small cup she drank from. There wasn't much else to see. The room was small, with the futon under her being the only furniture in it. There was a door on the opposite wall, covered with a kind of mat. To her right, she could see a small window with no glass covering it. That was interesting.

She could understand people having simple tastes and wanting to live in such places with only the required things around them, but a window with no glass? That was taking it a bit too far. How could they stay in this room in winter? Were the other rooms in this house just like this one? Come to think of it, she didn't see the rest of this place. The monk must have carried her here when she was out cold right after the ordeal with Inuyasha.

Inuyasha. Wasn't he a dilemma? Despite what she had been told about him, she felt strangely proud of herself for saving him. After all, he did not do anything to hurt her, did he? She wondered what would have happened to him if she hadn't been there when the soldiers arrived.

Her eyes fell on the monk sitting next to the door. As much as he irritated her by holding her there, she couldn't deny that he had saved her life when he stopped the soldiers. She remembered what he said to make Inuyasha go away. 'Wait a minute, go away?' Her eyes widened when she realized that Miroku saved not only her life, but Inuyasha's as well when he forced the soldiers not to attack her and discreetly advised Inuyasha to run away without her.

"Miroku?"

"Yes?"

"You didn't seem eager to see him dead back there."

He did not answer her right away. At his silence, she began to think whether she had been dreaming things. Then, he sighed and looked at her with a tired expression.

"Because I wasn't."

So, Kagome was right! He saved them both, the little cunning monkey... and he was accusing _her_ of protecting their enemy! But, she was the only one that realized what the monk had done, wasn't she? All the soldiers knew was that _she_ had been the one who caused them to lose their prey. Shoot! Why would Miroku do that, though? Didn't he just say Inuyasha was their enemy? Seeing that he wasn't going to continue otherwise, she asked, "Why?"

He closed his eyes again and was silent for a few moments. It was as if he was contemplating whether to tell her. Finally, he spoke, "He was my friend once."

'What?!' Wasn't this guy full of surprises? "He was? What happened?"

His eyes still closed, he answered her question without thinking. "The war."

End of Chapter 3


	4. Trapped

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

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_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

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'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 4: ****Trapped**

When Sango finally returned after an hour of absence, it was already noon. The two occupants of the small room had been silent for a long time, and the silence was interrupted by the loud cries of their stomachs at the smell of food coming from the other side of the house. Miroku smiled at her red face and offered to go and check out what Sango brought for lunch.

The mouth-watering scent turned out to be a pot of delicious stew. While they ate, Sango informed her husband that the children had gone hunting with her brother and would not be back until the next evening. Miroku didn't look pleased at the news.

"They went with him again?! When will they learn to ask me before they do something?"

"They won't, because they know we won't let them if they ask." She sighed tiredly and stood up to clean the small table they had been eating on. "I have no idea who they took after."

Miroku rose as well and looked outside from the small window next to the door. "I have a guess."

When she returned from cleaning the dishes, Sango smiled at their unwilling guest apologetically. "Those clothes must be uncomfortable for you, with the blood and all. Why don't you come inside with me? I'll give you something clean to change into."

Having been the silent observer for the last hour, Kagome was taken aback when Sango addressed her. It was good to hear that she could finally get out of her wedding dress. As beautiful as it had been, it wasn't made for climbing up walls, running around or sitting on the floor. Besides, it was completely ruined now, and she didn't expect it to be repairable. She would probably have to throw it out.

Kagome followed Sango to one of the two rooms she hadn't seen yet in this small house and she saw that it was not very different from the one she woke up in the morning. The only futon in the room was slightly larger than the one she laid on before, and there was a chest next to the door. Sango knelt in front of the chest and took some clothes out of it. "They are not fancy, but I promise they are much more comfortable."

Taking the offered clothes, she smiled at the woman. "Oh, believe me, anything to get me out of this messy dress will be fancy enough for me." Kagome meant it. She was feeling nauseous whenever her eyes fell on her gown. Knowing whom that blood belonged to doubled her feelings. It made her remember how deadly his wound looked and how he could have died there if she hadn't come upon him.

"I'm sorry you can't take a bath now. We normally bathe in the river, but the soldiers are camping around the river nowadays, so we better not go there." At her guest's crestfallen look, she added hurriedly, "But, I can take you to the hot springs later if you want."

Now, that was something Kagome couldn't say no to. Her eyes brightened at the idea of a long, hot bath, and she couldn't keep the smile that formed on her lips. "Really? A hot bath?" At Sango's nod, her smile widened. "I'd love to go there with you. Thanks."

Seeing the young woman hesitate to take off her clothes in front of her, Sango left the room, saying that she would check on Miroku. When Kagome was alone, she quickly took off her dress and started to examine the clothes she was given. She realized that they looked like the clothes Sango was wearing. She held up a cream colored, long sleeved shirt with no buttons and a long green skirt. After many trials, she managed to put on her clothes and got out of the room, carrying her bloody dress with her.

"Now that's better, isn't it? Those clothes look good on you."

She smiled at Sango's compliment. "What should I do with this dress?"

"I don't think it's a good idea to leave it somewhere out there. We wouldn't want the blood to attract anything. The best thing to do is just to burn it, I guess."

'Attract anything? What? Are we in a wild jungle or something?' Remembering what she had been told about 'magical creatures,' she decided not to question Sango's motives in fear of hearing more things that would just give her another headache. 'Well, as long as the dress is out of my hands.' "Okay, let's do it then. Where do we burn it?"

"The front garden." With that, Sango took a burning boulder from the fire pit in the middle of the room, and holding its cold end, she motioned Kagome to follow her out.

The small garden was filled with vegetables on both sides of the pathway that led to the front door. They walked to the far end of the garden, where there seemed to be the remains of an old fire. Sango took the dress from her, put it on the charred ground and threw the burning boulder on it. Within seconds, the once beautiful dress was nothing but a pile of ashes.

While Sango took care of the dress, Kagome was struck by the look of their surroundings. She noticed Sango and Miroku were not the only ones with simple tastes. From where she stood, she could see several small wooden houses around. 'Houses? No, they are not houses. They are more like huts.'

Seeing her interest, Sango offered to show her the rest of the village.

As they walked on the dirt road among the small huts, they came upon several villagers who looked quite interested in the stranger. However, Kagome's mind was too occupied with other things to notice their interest. She was confused by the lifestyle of the villagers. The huts they lived in, the clothes they wore, the tools they used in their gardens, the buckets women carried around that were filled with water ... There was no trace of technology in this place, not even electricity was present. It was weird that there were still places in Japan without modern technology — a country that provides the world with high tech products.

When they came closer to the edge of the forest, she saw something that left her speechless. There was some kind of ethereal wall that separated the village from the forest. Not knowing whether she was dreaming, she looked at Sango to see if she would say something. To her relief, Sango smiled at her and started explaining what that shimmering thing was, confirming for the poor woman that at least she was not seeing things that were not there.

"This is the barrier that protects this village from demon attacks."

"A barrier? It looks so strange. What is it made of?"

That obviously sounded funny, for Sango could not keep herself from laughing. After her laughter died, she continued in an amused voice, "Made of? Hmm, it's hard to explain. I guess I can say that it's made of spiritual energy. Pure spiritual energy."

"Spiritual energy? How do you do that?"

"Well, the monks and the priestesses can do it. This one was erected by Miroku."

"Miroku did this?"

"Yes."

"Wow!" 'Spiritual energy?' Was it even possible to keep pure energy outdoors in such a state? Despite her confusion, she was certain of one thing: The pinkish, bubble-like wall was a sight to see. "It looks beautiful."

Sango smiled at her amazement. "It doesn't look that beautiful to demons, believe me." However, her face hardened before she continued, "Since this is a purification barrier, any demon to come in contact with it will be purified immediately."

"Purified?" How many different terms was she going to hear today?

"Yes." Seeing that the meaning of that word was lost to her guest, Sango added in a serious voice. "That means _dead_ for demons."

"Oh." 'Dead? She means it, doesn't she?' It was unnerving how easy these people talked about death and killing.

They took another path around the village on their way back. After a few minutes of silence, Kagome felt the need to say something. "Where is this hot bath you were talking about?"

"Oh, the hot springs? They are close by." She raised her arm to sign the direction they came from. "That way. Just a few yards outside the barrier."

"Outside the barrier? Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

"It's not in the protected zone, but I think we'll be okay. Since the soldiers are in the village, there will not be any demons around. Besides, the springs are too close to the barrier, and demons will not get that close. It irritates them, you know."

So it was okay to be outside this barrier thingy, but stay close to it. However, there was still something that nagged at her mind. "Why are we waiting until nighttime to go there?"

"Because there would be nobody around then. It's usually crowded during the day."

Kagome was surprised when she did not hear an explanation full of magic, demons or strange shimmering walls. 'What?! That simple?' "Are you sure it will be safe?"

"Hey, I'll be with you. You have nothing to worry about."

'I have nothing to ... What's that supposed to mean?' After hearing so many stories about the dangers lurking around since that morning, she was irritated with Sango's confidence in their safety. However, she wasn't in the mood to argue anymore. "O-okay."

The path they took brought them to a sight Kagome was shocked to see. There, in front of her, stood the steps that normally led her to her home. There might be millions of steps in this world, but these were exactly the same as the ones at her shrine, which she knew to be unique.

Then, she realized something else. The steps, the tree, the well ... they were all in the exact same positions as in her shrine. Her head began to spin like crazy. She remembered everything she had seen since she had arrived: the people, the clothes, the village, houses, soldiers. "I haven't left the shrine at all, have I? I'm still in the shrine ... just ... just not in the ..." She trailed off, but her mind completed the thought that frightened her to the core. '... the same time.' "Gods! I'm in the _past_!"

The next instant she was half-conscious in Sango's arms. It took some time to compose herself, but in the end Kagome was able stand on her feet. Everything started to make sense now. It was funny how the craziest thing she had come to see since this morning was like a key to the world's most confusing puzzle. Demons, magic, monks, priestesses, wars — everything her grandfather had told stories about, everything he had said happened in the past. 'And the strange way I came here ...'

Now, Kagome knew that if there was a way back home and out of this place, it was through the well.

* * *

That night, Sango took her to the hot springs just as she had promised earlier. The springs formed a small pool surrounded with large rocks just a little outside the village. It turned out that Sango was right about the springs being empty at this time of day. Obviously, the villagers were afraid to come out from the protection of the barrier once it was dark. Kagome was uncomfortable about having to undress with someone around, but once she was in the water, she was too relaxed to care about her nakedness anymore. After a few minutes of silence, she decided that this was a good chance to learn everything she could from Sango.

"May I ask you something, Sango?"

Sango turned her head to look at her, curious about what the young woman might be wondering this time. "If it is something that I can answer ..."

"Well, I'm beginning to understand all this stuff about demons. I mean, it is easier once you accept that magic exists. There is one thing I don't understand, though." She continued uncertainly, as if she was afraid to talk about whatever it was she was going to say, "That night, with Inuyasha, something happened."

Sango's eyes widened for a second, then she encouraged her to continue. "What do you mean?"

"When I first saw him, he looked like a normal human, and then he changed when the sun rose."

"You saw that?!" Sango's voice came out so high, a few birds flew out of the trees surrounding the hot springs.

"Yeah, it was impossible not to notice." Her voice turned to a whisper at the panicked expression on the other woman's face. Did she say something wrong? Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned that night at all.

When Sango spoke again in a low voice after a few seconds, she sounded deadly serious, "Kagome, this is very important. Did you talk to anybody else about what you saw?"

'What? As if these guys left me alone with anybody else all day.' "No, you're the first one I had a chance to ask."

"Good." She looked relieved, which confused Kagome even more.

"Why? What was that all about? You know what it was, don't you?" This woman apparently knew a lot of things, and Kagome was going to get the answers she wanted no matter what.

Sango appraised her for a few seconds, trying to decide whether to answer. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise me not to tell anyone, not a soul, about it. Do you understand me?"

'As long as I get my answers.' "O-okay, I promise I won't talk about it."

Relaxing back to the water, Sango started to explain in a whispered tone after listening to their surroundings to make sure they were alone. "Well, Inuyasha is only a half-demon."

"Half-demon?"

"Yes. His mother was a human princess, and his father was a very powerful dog demon. In fact, he was the lord of the dog demons. By nature, every half-demon becomes human at a specific time and they lose their powers. You saw him on his human night."

It was amazing how interesting things could get around here. Being used to hearing such things by now, Kagome processed all the information she was given without questioning. "He had been human that night and changed into his normal self when I was with him."

Sango nodded her head without looking at her. "I suppose so."

"He was vulnerable because he didn't have his powers, wasn't he?"

"Yes."

"Then what the hell was the idiot doing out there? Trying to get himself killed?!" Honestly, was this guy stupid or what? Kagome felt strangely outraged at his irresponsibility. Was that even normal to feel so much concern for someone you just met?

Sighing Sango laid her head back against the rock she was resting against. When she spoke again, her voice was soft, "That's another story."

"Well, tell me about it already! And while you're at it, why don't you tell me why you're trying to protect him? I thought he was your enemy. Why don't you want anybody to learn about his secret?" Her irritation was directed at Sango now. Kagome knew there were things this woman was not telling her. She could feel it. However, she was not expecting the heated reply Sango gave her even before she closed her mouth.

"Because I think it would be cowardly to corner him in his vulnerable state! I think he deserves better than that! Even if he dies, he should die with honor!"

Now that she had shouted what she had been thinking in her anger, Sango forced herself to calm down and continued in a soft cadence, "He was our friend ... long ago, before the war started. He wasn't always a cursed general, you know? He was a good man who had no problems with humans. In fact, he was in love with one. She was a beautiful priestess. He loved her so much, he would do anything for her ... even ..."

When Sango trailed off, Kagome finished her sentence without thinking. "... even give his life for her."

At Sango's questioning look, she shrugged her shoulders. "I think I heard it before." 'Grandpa's story ...'

"Anyway, they loved each other very much, but then bad things happened, and he lost her. After a while, he changed. He became emotionless and cunning. But, on those nights when he turns human, he becomes more like the man he used to be. That's why he was out there when you met him. He loves that tree. He has a strange connection with it, I guess. He goes to that tree to feel more at ease on those nights."

Kagome's eyes widened in realization. So, it was him she felt when she touched the tree at the shrine.

"But, he was usually more careful," continued Sango. "He didn't leave any trails before. But that night, he was careless I guess, for he left two soldiers injured on his way and was wounded in the process. That's how the others were able to find him."

When Kagome did not say anything, Sango added, "Everybody thinks that he is a heartless man. But, I don't agree with them. The fact that he goes to the tree on those nights ... It makes me think that he is still capable of love. He just needs to be reminded that it still exists."

* * *

About ten minutes later, Sango left, saying that she couldn't stand the hot water for a long time and that she would be close by polishing her boomerang. All Kagome needed to do was call for her if she saw or heard anything strange.

After Sango was gone, Kagome waded into the deeper part of the small pool. It was hard to feel clean without the help of a soap or shampoo. She massaged her scalp once more and ducked into the water to clean it. She surfaced with a gasp and held her hair up with both hands to squeeze it. She froze when she felt two arms come around her waist and someone breathe on her neck. She was about to scream when she felt the same breath on her ear, but the voice she heard stopped her short.

"You look beautiful."

She whirled around — her hands still on her head and her elbow hitting the man in the process — and came face to face with Inuyasha. He didn't seem fazed by the blow he had just received from her. Feeling as if someone would catch him if she made a noise, she whispered, "You! What the hell are you doing here? They'll kill you on sight, you idiot!"

Oh, gods, he had that affectionate look on his face again, and those eyes ...

"I'd rather die here than anywhere else."

His whispering voice was a match that ignited an unseen fire in her belly. Her mouth stood agape and she let her hair go. She fisted his clothes instead, supporting herself so that she could continue standing in spite of her shaking knees.

He combed the few tendrils of wet hair that fell over her face. Then, he caressed her cheek with his knuckles and whispered softly, "So beautiful ..." He hooked one finger under her chin and raised her face.

Kagome barely caught the heated look in his eyes before their lips met in a soft kiss. He had one arm hooked around her waist, holding her impossibly close to his body, while his free hand caressed the line of her spine. She moaned into his mouth at the incredible shivers his hand sent into her, and he slipped his tongue into her mouth, making hers dance with it. As the kiss became unbearably heated, she found herself in a whirlwind of emotions. She was barely aware that she was making out with a man she'd seen only once before, completely naked in his arms. Instead, her mind was lost in the feelings erupting in her heart and in her belly like a series of fireworks. She could spend an eternity in those arms, and it would not be enough.

"Kagome?" They both froze at the sound of Sango calling her. "Aren't you done yet?" The increase in her voice indicated that she was getting closer.

Their eyes locked and Kagome took her face away from his. At the sound of footsteps approaching, she panicked and forced him to dive under water by putting her hand on the top of his head. She took a hold of his hair and tried to keep it under water. The silver strands were floating on the surface. Unfortunately, the position they were in forced his face against her chest under the water, and her face went beet red at the realization. However, at that moment, Sango came out of the trees, and Kagome had no choice but to bear with it.

"You're taking awfully long, aren't you?" asked Sango.

"What can I say? Habits." Kagome gave a nervous smile. It was hard to act normal when there was a gorgeous man in her bath water, insistently lowering his hands down her waist. She gritted her teeth to keep herself from moaning when one of his hands brushed her stomach on their way south. She slowly took one hand from his hair. Careful not to let Sango know what she was doing, she caught his hand under the water and effectively ceased its movement.

In the meantime, Sango got closer to the springs. She stood near one of the rocks that surrounded the small pool and looked around suspiciously. "I see you're fine. I was afraid you drowned or something."

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine!" Forgetting why it was under the water in her hurry to convince Sango to go away, she took the hand that was holding his in its place and waved it in the air as if to say, 'See? There is nothing here.'

Nodding, the other woman turned back to leave. "Okay then, I'll be waiting over there. Don't take too long."

"Okay." Kagome let out a long sigh as she watched Sango walk away. Luckily, Sango did not stay long, because Kagome was not sure how much longer Inuyasha could keep his head under water.

After she was sure Sango was out of hearing range, the woman pulled his head up by her grip on his hair. "Tell me you didn't see anything," she commanded.

"Okay, I didn't see anything." The mischievous smile he gave her said otherwise, though. The jerk ... Before Kagome could utter another word, he was on her again, kissing her senseless. When he let her go, she was out of breath.

"Come with me." His voice was almost pleading, but at the same time, demanding. As if that wasn't enough, his intense gaze was not letting her think clearly.

Not knowing what to say, she began to stammer whatever came to her mind, "B-but ... S-Sango and Miroku, they are t-taking me to the castle."

"To the castle?!"

"Shush! Do you want to get caught?" Honestly, what was his problem? He was practically calling out for trouble!

As if it wasn't him shouting his head off a moment ago, he asked her again with the same soft tone that rendered her helpless, "Come with me."

"But Miroku said his life would be at stake if he let me go."

"Screw the monk. He can save his own ass. Come with me." He kissed her again, with more ferocity this time. Then, he let her go, jumped out of the water and took her clothes, which she had left left on the rocks. He extended his hand to her and asked again, "Come."

Kagome could barely stop herself from taking his hand. She fixed her gaze on the water in front of her, for looking at him was not good for her thinking ability. What would happen to Miroku and Sango if she did go with him? 'Wait a minute, what do I care? As if they asked my permission to take me to this castle of theirs. Besides, it seems like I'm trapped in this world. Why not go with him when it feels so right?' She raised her head and looked him in the eye. 'Gods, what was I thinking again?' She forgot where she was or who she was. Why would anything else matter if she could be with him? With a heart-stopping smile, Kagome reached toward him to take his hand.

Before she could touch him, she heard Sango shout behind her, "Oh, no you won't!" The next instant there was a loud wheezing sound, and she saw Inuyasha jump away. In his place stood Sango's enormous boomerang; its one end was buried in the ground.

"Go away, Inuyasha! Don't force me to fight you!"

He seemed to think about fighting for a second. Now able to see his whole body from afar, she noticed that his wound was still bleeding. Wanting to keep him from hurting himself or Sango, Kagome interfered before he decided to attack the angry woman. "Inuyasha."

He looked at her with surprise written on his face, as if he hadn't expected to hear his name from her lips. "Please, don't fight, just go. Please."

He growled menacingly, and for a moment, she thought he was going to attack. That turned out to be wrong, though. With a last glance at her, he turned his back and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

The next morning, they took off from the village with the first lights of the sun. To her dismay, Sango and Miroku were not the only ones traveling with her. Sango told her that most of the soldiers she had seen earlier were not based in their village all the time. Apparently, they had been around on a mission. Now that their mission had failed, more than half of the troops were going back to the castle with them. She wondered if that mission was Inuyasha.

Not long after they started walking, Kagome realized that they were passing through the clearing the well was in. She looked at the soldiers around her. None of them seemed to be paying attention to her. The more careful ones were checking their surroundings to detect trouble before it came upon them, while others were talking among themselves. The married couple was arguing about something. Miroku obviously did something to anger Sango, for he was supporting a red hand print on his left cheek. She wondered if the noise she heard a few moments ago that sounded suspiciously like a slap came from the two of them.

Her eyes fell on the well again. It was even closer to where she stood now. She looked back at the soldiers again. It was now or never. She had to know ...

With the highest speed she could muster, she sprinted in the direction of the well. Within seconds, she was perched at its edge, looking down at its depths. She took a deep breath to gather her courage and let herself fall in the well without even a glance back to see whether she was followed.

The impact with the ground left her breathless. 'For a second there, I thought I would break my leg.' Luckily, she didn't feel hurt anywhere. She looked up to see the blue sky from the well's opening. Her spirits died a little seeing that she was still in this strange world. However, she had to check to see if there was a secret passage in this hole ... and if there was, she had to find it before her captors hauled her out of it. It was easier to see inside the well in daylight. She hastily searched the ground and the walls. Nothing. There was no way out of here, except upwards. When she looked up, she was met with Miroku's amused face.

"If you're done here, can we go now?"

End of Chapter 4


	5. At the Castle

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

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_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

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'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 5:**** At the Castle**

Kagome sighed again. She was tired. It was the second day of their journey to the castle. They had been on the road since dawn. She supposed they traveled quite a distance since yesterday morning, and only God knew how much farther she would have to walk. Honestly, couldn't they find an easier way to travel? Her feet had been aching when she went to sleep last night and when she got up this morning. And now, they were killing her. She was lucky that Sango had been able to find a pair of sandals for her to wear before they left the village. They weren't as comfortable as her sneakers, but at least they kept her feet from getting scratched.

The sun was getting lower behind the hills. That was good. They would stop soon to camp for the night. Then, Miroku would erect a barrier like he had the night before to avoid getting attacked while they slept. He would probably do that channeling thing again.

Kagome might not be happy with her situation, but that did not keep her from learning as much as she could. For instance, last night Miroku told her how he kept the barrier intact all night by channeling his energy through the staff he always carried with him. That way, he did not need to stay in a meditative state to keep it up. So, she now knew how to erect a lasting barrier, theoretically. A barrier was a good thing, she decided. Otherwise, she would not be able to sleep after yesterday's events.

After Miroku had gotten her out of the well yesterday morning, she had been quite depressed. On the other hand, the monk and his wife had looked very pleased with her failure. She had been so irritated with the stupid grins plastered on their faces that she had decided to hate the couple from that day on. However, that decision had changed quickly after she had witnessed her first demon attack.

The creature had been monstrous, with its snake-like body covered with disgusting spider legs. She had thought her end had come, for it had seemed impossible to escape from the giant demon. Luckily, she had been proven wrong with one sutra from the monk and one swipe of Sango's boomerang. They had been amazing.

When Kagome had asked, Miroku had told her that it had been just a random demon, not one of General Inuyasha's troops. He had informed her that the general did not work with such mindless weaklings. She still wondered what a strong demon would be like if that one had been a weakling. Shaking her head, the girl decided she did not want to learn the answer to that question. She smiled when she saw that the group finally stopped for the night. 'Just on time.'

The good thing about being a hostage in this journey was that she did not have to help her captors. All she did was choose a nice spot to rest and wait for dinner to be served. This evening, she decided to sit under a magnolia tree. Making herself comfortable on the grass covered ground, she laid her head back against the tree's bark. It felt good to finally be sitting down. Of course, she would surely prefer a thick, soft bed and a hot bath. 'Gods, I would give anything for a soak.'

Kagome felt crestfallen now that her only way home had proved useless. How else was she supposed to go back? 'What if I can't go back ever? What would Mama and Grandpa do?' Come to think of it, they were probably already worried about her. She hadn't had a chance to leave a note or anything. What did they think happened to her? Maybe they thought she had run away, or perhaps they thought she had been kidnapped or killed by a psycho fan. 'Please let them think that I just ran away on my own.'

After the talk she had with her mother, it was possible that the matriarch would think her daughter changed her mind about the marriage and left without a word so that she didn't have to justify her decision. Yes, that was possible, wasn't it? Kagome could have changed her mind. 'Oh, gods, I was going to get married. I have a fiance, don't I?'

Remembering Houjo for the first time since her last night at the shrine, she wondered what her family would tell him about her disappearance. Would he be worried about her? Was he already searching for her everywhere? 'Hmm, he probably is.'

Thinking about Houjo reminded her of the last time she had seen him and the kiss. She shook her head, as if to clear it from that dreaded memory. Kagome tried to concentrate on the now dancing flames of the camp fire. However, instead of helping her keep her mind blank, they reminded her of something else ... something as hot as the flames ... and as dangerous. Blushing, she recalled what happened at the hot springs. Now, that was a real kiss, wasn't it? That was how you should feel when you kiss the one you love. 'Wait a minute! Love? No! This can't be love. I don't even know the guy! No. It is ... an attraction ... an extremely powerful attraction that I can't seem to resist.'

Yes, it was undeniable that she was attracted to the half-demon she had only seen twice. No matter how much Kagome thought about it, she did not understand her reaction to him. He was gorgeous, that was obvious, and his woodsy scent made her feel dizzy. There was something in his eyes. Something in his eyes other than their blatant beauty had captured her, called out to her heart and made it difficult for her to breathe. However, there was one thing she wondered about more than her own feelings.

What was Inuyasha thinking? Was he somehow feeling the same emotions as her, or did he have an ulterior motive for acting the way he did since their first meeting? She thought it would be wonderful if he felt the same way she did. If not, what other reason could he have to enchant her like that? It could not be that he saw her as his enemy. He already had the chance to hurt her, if that was the case, but he hadn't. What else, then? She wasn't even a part of this world, let alone a part of the war.

Kagome remembered what Sango had told her at the hot springs — that he had loved a human priestess. What exactly happened to the girl? How did she die? Was it true that he had become a heartless man after losing her? What did he do to make people think so? Did he love her so much that he would lose himself like that? More importantly, did he still love the priestess? 'If he does, what is he doing with me?'

Seeing that trying to analyze and understand the enigma named Inuyasha was futile, Kagome let her thoughts drift back to the night at the hot springs. Sighing, she closed her eyes to replay the memory in her head. Even now, she could feel his hot breath on her ear, his strong arms around her waist and his soft lips pressed to her burning ones as if the memory was real. 'Gods, this will be a very long night.'

* * *

The rest of the journey to the castle was fortunately uneventful. It took them a total of three days to reach the fortress. Kagome was fascinated when the giant structure first came into her line of vision. Standing proudly atop a lone hill, it looked both inviting and menacing at the same time. The thick, high walls surrounding a group of buildings seemed impassable from the base of the hill, where the young woman stood with her mouth agape. As they got closer to the structure, she realized that those walls were not the only defense of the castle. She could make out the archers placed on top of the walls. She supposed they would not be needed at all, though, because a shimmering barrier surrounded the castle just outside its walls.

As they made their way up the hill, Kagome saw another group coming from the other direction. The two groups reached the large gates almost at the same time. Now that she was able to examine the newcomers from a close distance, she saw that half of the group was soldiers, who were dressed exactly like the ones who escorted her. There was also a group of women standing in front of them. They wore white shirts and red hakamas, the traditional uniform of shrine priestesses.

What were priestesses doing out with soldiers? Were they fighting alongside them in real battles? Or, were they prisoners like her? She supposed that could not be the case, for they seemed to be quite pleased with women stood proud with small smiles on their faces. 'They look like they just won this war. Well, maybe not the war, but a great victory nonetheless.'

When her eyes fell upon the rest of the group, she decided that her conclusion was correct. 'These must be demons.' Chained to each other with strangely shining robes, they presented a heartbreaking sight. Kagome felt ashamed at first in the name of her kind because of the way the demons were treated. She hoped that this treatment was only out of necessity.

Sighing, the young woman raised her eyes from the chains binding the demons together to examine their other features. Their differences from the humans were obvious, with their pointy ears and sharp-looking claws. She saw that some of them had fangs when they sneered at the nearest soldiers, and to her surprise and amusement, she saw that some even had tails. She thought it to be cute until she received deadly glares from the demons she had been examining. 'Okay, maybe not that cute.'

Even without those strange attributes, it would not be difficult to tell a demon apart from humans, for they were too beautiful compared to the humans standing next to them. 'Just like him ... Not as beautiful as him, though. There is something else about him ... Something none of these demons possess.'

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when she realized she had been looking into two eyes that were looking intently back at her. Seconds passed, and the owner of those large, green eyes refused to look away. Intrigued, Kagome examined the rest of his features. Red hair was tied back at his neck with unruly bangs falling down his forehead. He had two pointy elf-like ears on the sides of his head, canine fangs visible under his upper lip, and a bushy yellow tail that came into her sight as it swished from left to right at his back.

He did not look as strong as the other demons around him. That was probably because he was younger than the rest of them. He was sixteen or seventeen at most. Kagome looked back at his face and, seeing the the strange look he was giving her, her eyes could not leave his. She did not have the chance to ask him anything, though, for in the next instant, she heard Sango calling her.

The girl from the future glanced in the direction the voice came from and saw the slayer coming her way. The couple had been in front of their group, talking to the gatekeepers since the group arrived. When she finally reached her, Sango informed the curious young woman that the barrier would be taken down any moment, and they would be able to get inside. The new group was indeed coming from a battle that had taken place near one of the surrounding villages, bringing new hostages with them.

Before Kagome could ask anything else, their group was making its way inside the castle. She looked back at the demons, who were waiting aside with their guardians, but the young demon with striking green eyes was nowhere to be seen. Once she was on the other side of the gates, she forgot about everything else at the sight before her.

Inside the walls were many buildings of different sizes. A large paved road brought them from the gates to the depths of what appeared to be a small town. On both sides of the road, she could see lots of small shops. Life seemed to be quite busy in the fortress, with shopping women, men carrying carts from one place to another, and children running around and pestering the soldiers to let them touch their swords. At the end of the paved road, a large building could be seen — probably the lord's residence.

When they were halfway to the large building, a loud cheering noise was heard, and she looked back to see what the commotion was about. The group with the hostages was making its way toward the main building behind them, and the townsfolk were happy to see the soldiers return home safely with proof of their victory. Turning her eyes forward, Kagome saw that Sango was a significant distance ahead of her, and she ran to catch up with the slayer. As they got closer to the main building, Kagome saw another structure to her right.

Noting Kagome's questioning eyes, Sango informed her that it was a shrine building to accommodate the monks and priestesses that aided the lords in the war against the demons, also that it was where the barrier protecting the castle was erected from.

As they passed the building, the hostage witnessed a group of priestesses and monks gathered around a small statue in the garden in front of the shrine building. They were clearly meditating. She realized that they had been erecting the barrier again when the little statue of Buddha started glowing like the staff Miroku used to channel his energy.

After finally arriving at the main building, Miroku asked the guardians to see Lady Keiko, only to be told that she wasn't there. Apparently, the head priestess had gone on a mission a few days prior, which had been quite a victory, and was expected to return with the troops in a day or two. Sighing, the monk thanked the soldier and signaled the two ladies to follow him inside.

They walked through several halls decorated with colorful paintings that depicted battle scenes, before they stopped in front of a large sliding door. Miroku turned to her with a smile on his face. "This is where you will be staying until we get a chance to see Lady Keiko."

"What about you?" asked Kagome.

"Don't worry, we'll be close." He indicated the room next to hers with his head. "We'll be right next to you. Don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything. I suppose someone will be bringing food to your room. Now, go and rest. I'm sure you need one after our journey."

Kagome nodded her head, and with a small 'thank you', she entered the room, closing the door behind her. Upon turning to face the room, a huge smile formed on her face at the sight of a comfortable looking bed lying in one corner. Not wasting a second, she made her way to the corner and dropped down, letting the soft mattress take away the tiredness in her muscles. In mere seconds, she was asleep. The woman did not wake even when her dinner arrived.

* * *

On her second day at the castle, Sango took her for a walk through the castle grounds. When they reached the outskirts of the town, Kagome's eyes met with a sight that disturbed her. There were demons everywhere, chained like the ones she had seen the day before. They were being used for hard labor; some were breaking rocks with their bare hands, while others carried huge rocks on their backs.

Turning to face the slayer, the young woman couldn't keep herself from exclaiming her anger at the sight. "This is outrageous! How can you do this to someone?! I thought they were hostages, not slaves!"

Sango looked at her with solemn eyes before talking. "Don't be so quick to judge, Kagome. I know how it looks, but you must know that we are being merciful compared to what demons do to those they captured. Do you know that they only capture priestesses and force them to fight on their side? I've heard horrible stories about what they do to the priestesses that do not obey their wishes. I don't want to believe those stories, but I can't help but think it possible after seeing how much Inuyasha has lost his mind ... after seeing what he did to Lady Keiko."

'What he did to Lady Keiko? What could he have possibly done to make Sango believe him capable of anything?' Already dreading the answer, Kagome asked in a small voice, "What did he do?" 'And why am I so afraid to hear it?'

Shaking her head, Sango refused to tell her anymore about the subject. "It's not my place to talk about it. It's her story, and she will tell you if she wants to let you know."

When Sango walked away after being called by a soldier, Kagome saw the young demon from before looking at her from behind a small building. After a few seconds, he moved to walk towards her, but stopped when he saw Sango coming back. She found it strange that this demon was somehow interested in her but did not ask the slayer about him, fearing that she would put the boy in danger. After touring the town and visiting several shops on their way, they returned to the main building just before the sun went down.

* * *

When she woke up the next morning, the sun was already up. After stretching her completely rested body to her heart's content, Kagome got off the bed and made her way to the window to let the sunlight and the morning air in. It was a beautiful day.

She looked down at the cries of the children playing in the garden. There were a dozen of them, male and female, running around a figure sitting on the grass and laughing with them. She couldn't see the person's face because it was cloaked with a veil but she decided that it was a woman from the tone of her voice.

The veiled female wore the traditional red and white clothes of a priestess, with the only exception being the white veil hanging from the hat on her head. The fabric covered her face and shoulders. Kagome could see that the children liked this priestess in abundance. It didn't surprise her though, seeing how the woman behaved toward them with kindness.

'Wow, I would probably be telling them to shut up already, but then again, I'm not a priestess like they declared me to be. That woman, though ... That is how a real priestess should be.' She shook her head when two of the children tackled the woman to the ground.

Kagome turned back to get ready for the day, a small smile still gracing her lips.

* * *

Later that day, Kagome was summoned to meet Lady Keiko. An old maid escorted her to the lady's room, all the while talking about how lucky she was to be meeting such an honorable person. By the time they arrived at their destination, Kagome had learned a lot about how kind Lady Keiko was and how brave and self-sacrificing she was for protecting them against the demons.

Upon hearing the invitation from inside, the captive thanked the old woman and let herself in through the sliding door. Closing the door, she turned around, only to freeze at the sight of the woman sitting on a cushion right below the window on the far wall. She was the woman with the veil. '_She_ is Lady Keiko?!'

When she stood there for a long time with her mouth agape, Lady Keiko must have noticed her hesitation, because she called out to her visitor in a warm voice, "Come here, girl."

Blushing for her idiocy, Kagome heeded her command and sat on the other cushion next to the window. She folded her legs beneath her; her eyes were fixed on her fidgeting hands in her lap.

"So, you're the one that helped General Inuyasha escape?" the veiled woman began.

Kagome's head shot up at that. She did not waste any time, did she? Her interrogation started the moment she arrived. "Yes, but I didn't mean to! I mean, I meant to help him, but I didn't mean to get involved in your war. I didn't even know there was a war!"

"You didn't?" asked Keiko. "It's hard to believe that. Everyone in these lands knows of the war and the enemy."

Those words were not encouraging. Besides, it was difficult to see her expression because of the shroud covering her face. However, Kagome could somehow tell from her voice that the lady was trying to understand her motives, rather than condemn her.

"I'm not exactly from these lands," Kagome justified.

"Oh, where did you come from, then?"

The woman sounded sincerely curious. For a moment, Kagome thought about whether it was safe to tell this woman the truth of her unlikely existence in this strange world. 'Gods, I really don't know who I can trust here, but she seems like a good person. Besides, I had no control over how I came to be here, did I? She shouldn't blame me for what I unknowingly did, right? Oh, what am I thinking about?! Even if I don't tell her, Sango or Miroku will. They both know everything.'

Deciding that she had no choice but to spill out everything she knew, Kagome looked the woman in the eyes — or what she thought were her eyes, for it was not easy to see her face through the veil. "I — I know this will sound crazy, but I believe I came from the future. I think I somehow traveled through time to the past."

"Time travel?" The woman chuckled wholeheartedly. "You're right. It does sound crazy."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have another explanation," mumbled Kagome irritably.

When her chuckles died down, Keiko continued her interrogation. "Tell me, how exactly do you think you traveled through time?"

"The well," Kagome blurted out at once. "I fell through the well at my family's shrine, and when I climbed out of it, I was in this strange world."

Without a second thought, the priestess asked, "Is it the Bone Eater's well you're speaking of?"

"Yes!" exclaimed the girl from the future before asking, "Do you know anything about it?"

"That well is known to possess strange powers," explained Keiko. "People used to throw demon bones in it, and they would disappear without a trace. I guess we now know where they went, don't we?"

"So, you believe me?" the girl asked in amazement. Was this woman for real? At first she was laughing at Kagome, and now she said that she believed her?

"Why wouldn't I? You seem sincere enough. Besides, I've seen my share of strange things for long enough to know that many things can happen without regard to what we think is possible."

"Oh." This Lady Keiko was a clever one, wasn't she? She also seemed to be a good judge of character. Feeling more comfortable now that she knew this woman believed her, Kagome decided to convey what she had learned during her journey here. "It doesn't work anymore, though — I mean the well. I tried to go back, but it won't let me."

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must be hard to find yourself trapped in a world you know nothing about without a way to return home. Poor child." Her voice reflected the pity this kind woman felt for her unwilling visitor. Turning her back, Lady Keiko took the tray that had been brought in right before her visitor arrived and proceeded to fill two cups of tea.

Feeling solemn, Kagome turned to look out the window, Lady Keiko's last words still ringing in her head. '... trapped in a world you know nothing about without a way to return home.' Just as she felt her eyes start pricking with tears, her attention fell on the crowd she could see entering the castle gates. A few soldiers were running to the main building far ahead of the crowded group. 'This must be a new group of demons recently captured.'

While she disinterestedly watched the newcomers, Kagome felt the familiar sensation of being watched and noticed someone looking at her from the corner of her eye. She turned her head to see that it was one of the soldiers she saw running towards the main building. It was hard to tell these soldiers apart because of the helmets they wore, so she couldn't tell whether he was one she had met before.

Shaking her head, Kagome decided she did not care about these people at all and diverted her eyes to the new group of hostages making their way through the main building. Seeing the demons with their hands chained reminded her that she was a hostage as well.

"What will happen to me now?" she asked solemnly.

"That is up to you."

The captive turned from the window to look at the woman's covered face. She had finished filling the cups, and now she was sipping from her cup under her veil. She noticed the other cup was placed in front of her, but right now, Kagome was not in the mood for tea. "You won't chain me like you do to the other hostages, will you?" she asked before adding, "By the way, that is a terrible thing, you know? They don't seem dangerous at all."

"That's because they are subdued," answered the priestess.

"Subdued?" 'What the heck does that mean?'

Before Lady Keiko could answer her, a small but insistent tapping noise was heard. After Keiko told the intruders to come in, a soldier entered the room with the young demon Kagome had seen earlier.

"Excuse me, my lady. We caught this one sneaking around the main building. He wasn't under the spell. He probably got in among the group that arrived the day before."

"Come closer, child." Upon hearing the priestess' command, the boy took a few steps and stopped in front of Lady Keiko, who was now standing to examine the new hostage.

Although he did what he was told to do without hesitation, Kagome could see the fire flashing in his green eyes. 'He's so angry ...' It was obvious that he did not have any control over his own body, for his stance was relaxed, in contrast with the stress in his expression.

"I think I know this one and why he is here," announced Lady Keiko. After looking at him in the eye for almost a minute, she gently patted his head and then turned to the soldier waiting by the door. "Take him out to the grounds. Do not be harsh with him, but make sure that he learns not to get involved in matters that are too big for one so young."

Once the door was closed behind them, the priestess sat back in her place on the cushion and addressed Kagome, "You see, we found a better way to deal with the demons than killing them. We subdue them with powerful spells — Like that youngling you saw here. You saw how he obeyed every command without giving trouble. Did you notice the collar around his neck?" At Kagome's hesitant nod, the woman continued, "That is what contains the spell. It subdues their auras and does not let them to do anything unless they are told by someone that had taken part in the spell. You see, it takes a lot to cast such a powerful spell. Unfortunately, there is no priestess alive that can do it alone. Because of that, each collar is imbued by a hundred priestesses. Once a collar is ready, it can be placed on a demon by one of those who had imbued it, and that demon will obey every command given by any one of those priestesses. Luckily, they are powerless against our spells. Without the spell, we wouldn't have a chance against the demons in this war, because each and everyone of them is deadly — almost as mush as Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome looked out the window to the afternoon sky. The sunlight dazzled her eyes, reminding her of the two golden orbs that had blinded her to everything else around only a few days before. A small smile graced her lips. "Everyone here tells me how dangerous he is, but it's hard for me to believe that. Although he had the chance, he didn't hurt me, even before I helped him escape." She turned her gaze back to the woman under the veil. "I mean, he didn't know who I was or where I was from, but in his eyes, I must be one of you, right? — His enemy. He should have killed me if he was anything like you say, but instead, he's been so kind toward me."

Lady Keiko looked thoughtful at her revelation. After a few seconds, she nodded her head as if she came to a conclusion. "I see. I shouldn't be surprised to hear that. After all, that's to be expected."

"What do you mean?" Kagome sensed something coming.

"It's the way you look," supplied Keiko.

"The way I look? I don't understand ...," her voice trailed off. She shook her head, trying to clear her muddled thoughts.

"What do you know about his past?" asked the priestess.

'What does his past have to do with me?' Unsure of where the conversation was headed now, Kagome started to explain what she had heard about him. "Well, Sango told me about him being a good person before and that he had loved a human and had lost her. Then, he changed."

Nodding her head, the priestess took up the conversation from where Kagome left off. "Exactly. Her name was Kikyo. She had been a powerful priestess, who was kind and beautiful, just like you."

"M-me?" stuttered the captive.

"Yes, you my dear friend, have her face."

Not understanding what her hostess meant, Kagome asked, "You mean I look like her?"

"No." Chuckling at the naivety of the young woman, the priestess tried to better convey the meaning of her words. "I mean you have her face. An exact copy."

"What!" With eyes as wide as saucers, Kagome proceeded to exclaim her disbelief, "B-but that's not possible! How can that be?!"

Sighing at the girl's reaction, Keiko muttered grimly, "I'm afraid I know how."

"Tell me," demanded the girl from the future. Her voice left no place to arguments. She had to know the reasons if she had lived her life with someone else's face.

"It's not only her face you possess. I can sense her aura in you."

"Her aura? What does it mean?"

"It means that you have her soul in you," explained the prietess before concluding, "You must be her reincarnation."

'Reincarnation?' Was that possible? Despite having grown up at a shrine, she never thought much about such matters. Did she believe in reincarnation? 'But then again, I did not believe in magic and look where I am now.'

When the young woman did not speak for a while, Lady Keiko continued her explanation, "I believe Inuyasha knows it as well. That's why he behaved the way he did. You must understand, you have to be careful when it comes to him. "

The woman's voice was grim when she said that, sending chills down Kagome's spine, but she did not want to hear any more warnings about him. She had seen him with her own eyes and she would not believe anything other than her own conclusions. She might be a stranger in this world and know next to nothing about it but she was not a child. She formed her opinions based on her experiences. With these thoughts in her mind, she shook her head in disbelief.

Keiko sighed at her stubbornness. When she spoke, her voice betrayed her impatience. "You still don't comprehend how dangerous he is to you, do you? He's merciless! He cost us many men. He wants to enslave the human race for what he went through. All he wants is revenge. He captured many of our priestesses. Do you know what he did to them?"

When the young woman hesitantly shook her head, the priestess continued, "He didn't kill all of them. No. Only the old ones were killed, but the young and beautiful ones were not so lucky. They had been made whores to demons."

'That is ... Gods ... Can this be real? Sango said something about rumors of what happened to the captured priestesses, but are these rumors true? Does this woman know that for sure? I can't believe he would do such a thing. Gods, please don't let it be real.'

At Kagome's silence, Keiko pressed on, apparently tired of her pointless resistance. "Do you want to see a proof of what he is capable of?"

Before the young woman could give an answer, Keiko's hands went to the veil covering her face. She slowly removed the veil under the wide-eyed gaze of her visitor. When her face came into sight, she flinched at the frightened gasp that escaped Kagome's lips. "It was before the war, sometime after he had lost his lover," she explained. "He thought that I had the power to bring her back, but I refused to commit such dark magic. He did this to me as punishment. He tortured me with his bare hands. If you had seen his face then, you would understand what people mean when they call him heartless."

'No, no, he couldn't have done that! Please, no!' No matter how much she wished, Kagome could not remove her tear-filled eyes from the woman's distorted face. It was full of marks, deep claw marks on her cheeks, her neck, her forehead — everywhere. One of the deeper cuts started on the left side of her upper forehead and ended in the middle of her right cheek. Another one went through her chin and lower lip. Her right eye was almost completely closed, with another ugly scar placed on its outer edge.

"Do you see how far he's willing to go to get her back? Do you think he would hesitate to do you harm if there's a chance to get his precious lover back?"asked the priestess bitterly.

She only received tears from the young woman as an answer to her question. "Let me tell you, he wouldn't. Unfortunately for you, you are his only chance to bring her back, because you have her soul. All he needs to do is to find someone with the power to awaken her."

When Kagome kept her silence, Keiko pressed on. "What do you think will happen to you then?"

Having no answer, or rather choosing not to say what she thought would happen, Kagome bent her head down, letting her tears fall onto her hands, which were tightly clasping her skirt in her lap.

"She will have your body and soul. You will simply cease to exist." Since the young woman did nothing but continue crying silently, Keiko finished her words in a grim voice, "You must help me stop him before its too late for all of us."

Not even raising her head back, Kagome asked in a quivering voice, "Me? How?"

"He is the only one that is immune to our subjugation spells," answered the priestess. "I need you to change that."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"I don't know if you have noticed, but he wears a necklace that he never takes off. It contains a powerful spell that protects him against our subduing spells. I need you to get close to him and take it off."

Closing her eyes, the girl whispered, "Why me?"

"First, you are the only one that can get near him without being killed. Second, and most importantly, I don't think anyone other than you could remove that necklace even if they had the chance."

Kagome raised her tear-stained face, her eyes questioning the priestess' for the meaning of her words.

Understanding her confusion, the priestess explained, "I believe that the spell was put on him by Kikyo, judging by how powerful it is. With these kinds of spells, only the person who put it on can remove it and since you have her soul ..." Her voice trailed off.

'But ...' Shaking her head, Kagome opened her mouth to object but was cut short by Keiko.

"You'll be doing him a favor. You'll save his life. Once he is subdued, there won't be a need to kill him. He'll be harmless."

'But he'll hate me.'

"And I promise you that I'll find a way to make the well work for you. I'll send you back to your home."

Kagome's mouth fell open at that revelation. However, before she could ask anything, a loud booming sound was heard. Lady Keiko looked out the window and with a cry of 'Gods!,' she rushed outside. Wondering what was happening, the captive turned to look out the window, and to her horror, she saw that the shrine building was covered in flames.

End of Chapter 5


	6. Into the Forest

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Warning:** Hmm… Lime?

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 6****: Into the Forest**

Looking out the window, Kagome could see people running around like a colony of busy ants. Monks, priestesses, soldiers, some were shouting orders while others were carrying water buckets to the smoking shrine building. The buildings around the shrine were close to each other, and unless they put the flames out soon, the fire was bound to spread to the others.

While she watched, the wind picked up, sending the flames in the direction of the main structure. Before she could fear for her safety, loud footfalls were heard outside the room. People were rushing outside, deserting the building that was being threatened by the flames. 'What about me? Did they forget about me?' Not wanting to risk her own life just because she feared what would happen if she disobeyed orders and got out without an escort, Kagome shot up to her feet and made a dash for the door.

She slid the barrier open with haste and took a hurried step forward, only to bump into an armor clad chest. She looked up and saw the helmet covered face of a soldier. Before she could step back to put some much needed distance between herself and the man, large hands grasped her arms.

"Wha—" She wanted to ask why he was dragging her out of the room like a bag of potatoes, but Kagome never finished her sentence. The soldier chose that moment to explain his intentions with hurried words.

"Lady Keiko sent me to collect you, my lady. There is an intruder in the castle. The shrine has been attacked, and this building is no safer than the others. I have to get you out of here."

Kagome did not voice her approval, because he did not seem to care. He rushed her through the corridors, every once in a while stopping as he tried to decide which direction to take. The interior of the building was no better off than the outside. People were running around everywhere, civilians trying to escape the coming danger. Armed soldiers were checking the corridors and each room.

'They must be searching for the intruder.' Nobody paid attention to her. She supposed she was lucky that at least Keiko thought of her safety enough to send someone for her. Otherwise, she did not think she would manage to get out of this crazy crowd unscathed, let alone find her way through the labyrinth. The soldier that escorted her had to block her body with his larger one a few times to protect her from getting crushed by panicked groups.

Although Kagome tried not trip over her feet, she failed miserably, and right after they turned a corner, she found herself on her hands and knees. While the soldier urged her to get up by pulling on her arm, her eyes landed on a figure she had last seen yesterday on the grounds. A pair of green eyes looked from her to the soldier and then back at her. The young demon was standing in the middle of the corridor, unmoving despite the cries of the soldiers that ran in and out of the doors at the end of the hallway to escape.

Noting her resistance to his attempts to direct her in the opposite way, the soldier stopped to look at what had caught her attention. She pointed to the young demon, who had turned his eyes to return the soldiers gaze, and asked her escort to take the youngling with them. He seemed to hesitate for a second, but that did not last long. Swearing, he told her that his priority was to rescue her, and against her cries, he dragged her in the opposite direction.

When they finally got out, he directed her to a large, but plain looking structure on the side of the main building that wasn't near the burning shrine. Upon entering the wooden frame, Kagome realized that it was the stables that accommodated at least fifty horses. Letting go of his hold on her wrist, the soldier made his way deeper into its depths. While she assessed her surroundings, she cradled her abused wrist and wondered if this place was any safer than the one they just left. Spinning around, she saw the soldier coming toward her, holding the reins of a black mare.

"What is that for?" she asked, indicating the horse.

"The castle security is breached," he explained. "It's not safe here anymore. Lady Keiko specifically asked me to get you out of here."

"To where?"

"To another castle, of course." With that, he mounted the horse with ease and extended his hand to her.

Taking the offered hand, she mounted the animal and sat behind him, her legs dangling on one side. When he urged the horse forward, she had to hold on to his waist for dear life. After they got out of the stables, he prodded the mare with the heels of his boots, causing the animal to run faster. As they sped down the paved road, his long black hair whipped in the wind, making it difficult for her to see their whereabouts. A few minutes later, they were out of the castle, following a path that dived into the forest.

* * *

After two hours of riding, the soldier stopped the horse in the middle of nowhere. Dismounting from the tired animal, he grabbed Kagome at her waist with his large hands. She squeaked when she was taken off the horse's back without any warning. After placing her on her feet, he smacked the horse's backside, sending it running down the dirt road.

While grumbling under her breath about rude men that did not know how to treat a lady, Kagome ran her hands through her wind tossed hair. Turning back to the soldier, she crossed her arms before demanding an explanation, "Why did we stop?"

He looked at her for a second, then started walking into the forest. "We will continue on foot."

"On foot? Is it safe to travel without a horse?" Kagome did not move to follow him. Instead, uncrossing her arms, she put her hands on her hips; her pose reflected her increasing anger at her escort's lack of manners. "And by the way, how safe are we out here in the open? I mean, you will need to protect both of us in case we are attacked or something. Can you do that? And how far is this castle we're going to anyway?"

Once she was finished, she heard him chuckle. "The lady talks too much, doesn't she?"

That was all he said before turning to face her. In two long strides, he was in front of her. Without any warning, he took a hold of her wrist and pulled her in the direction he was headed before. His unyielding hold on her wrist forced her to follow him with hurried steps. Her eyes widened when she realized he was dragging her into the forest.

"Will you at least tell me why we sent the horse?" she asked. "Why are we going through the forest?"

Dread filled her heart when she received no answer from the man. 'Why doesn't he say anything? Is he really here to ensure my safety?'

They walked for almost ten minutes before stopping. All the while, she asked him questions without getting an answer. When they stopped, he released his hold on her wrist. She immediately took a few steps back and screamed at him.

"What do you think you're doing?! You will tell me this instant, or I am not going anywhere with you, you bastard!"

To her surprise, he turned to face her and shouted back. "Will you just quit screaming in my ear, wench?! It hurts, dammit!"

"W-wench? Did you just call me a wench?!" 'Just who does he think he is?! Calling me a ... a ...'

He snorted in answer, and under her surprised gaze, took off the helmet that had been hiding his face from her. Her mouth fell open at the sight before her eyes. It was _him_. He looked just like he did the first time she had seen him under the Goshinboku. Long black hair fell down to his hips with unruly bangs covering most of his forehead. Dark gray eyes shone with something akin to amusement under thick black eyebrows. The only thing she hadn't seen before was the smirk on his kissable lips, igniting an urge in her to bite it off his face.

Kagome opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to say something, anything at all, but came up with nothing. Taking a deep breath to calm her shaking body and wishing her heart beat to slow down, she finally managed to whisper, "Y-you?" She hesitantly took a step toward him, not knowing what to do, but wanting to be close to him in any case. When she saw his smirk widen at her reaction, anger rose up in her again, rescuing her from her 'deer caught in headlights' state. She rushed toward him and clenched her fists onto his collar. "You jerk! You scared me to death! I'm going to kill you, you bastard!"

Inuyasha laughed at her pitiful attempts to beat him, causing her anger to increase tenfold. Chuckling, he dove his head back when she tried to punch him in the face, causing her to lose her balance and make a full turn where she stood. Taking his chance, he stopped her from hurting him, or more likely herself, by holding her arms from behind.

"Let me go, you jerk!" she cried out.

As if she said nothing, he turned her to face him and held her in his arms, her own arms plastered to her sides. He looked into her eyes, which were burning with anger, with his laughing ones. "I risked my life to get to you and this is how you thank me?"

Hearing those words from his softened voice, Kagome's mouth dropped open in surprise. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Closing her mouth, she opted to enjoy the beauty of this man and the feel of his warm breath on her face.

While she watched, the amusement in his eyes turned to something else ... something heated ... something that caused those amber orbs to darken. Suddenly, it was difficult for her to breathe. Her heart thundered in her ears when he slowly bent his head down. Her eyes slipped from his burning ones to his lips, which were hovering over hers. They stayed like that for a few moments, his hot breath on her dried skin doing nothing to alleviate her excitement. Barely able to stand the torment anymore, she licked her lips in anticipation. Then, he whispered softly, "You broke my heart."

Her heart skipped a beat as shivers ran up and down her spine.

He smirked at her reaction, and to her disappointment, let her go. He turned his back to her and made his way toward a thick bush nearby, leaving her looking after him with her mouth half-open and her right hand on her chest. She wished her heartbeat would return to normal. When he was in front of the bush, he bent down, reached both of his hands under the leaves and then stood up. In his hands were a sword and a thick red cloth. In her muddled mind, she could vaguely decipher that they were his own clothes.

Putting the sword and the clothes down, he started taking off the soldier's uniform. When he took off his shirt, Kagome felt fire ignite in her belly. Her eyes slowly traveled from his abs to his perfectly sculptured chest. After lingering a little more on his strong shoulders and neck, which was adorned with a strange looking necklace, they finally focused on his face. Seeing the arrogant smirk on his face, she turned beet red and whirled around. Her back facing him, she cleared her throat and asked where he had found the uniform. He told her to look at her right, and there she could see the naked legs of a man behind a tree.

Indicating the unconscious human, she asked, "Is he dead?"

"Keh!" he snorted. "No, not yet."

Ignoring his irritable attitude, she continued her interrogation, "How did you get inside the castle?"

"Among the last arrivals," he muttered.

The image of the soldier she had seen looking at her from Lady Keiko's window flashed before her eyes. "It was you, the one I saw from the window." When he did not answer, another thought struck her. "Wait a minute, the intruder was you, which means you set the shrine on fire!"

"Keh!" he snorted again. "I had to distract them somehow and keep them from erecting that damn barrier before we got out."

Feeling her ire rise at his ignorance, she shouted, "So you decided a little fire would do no harm, huh? I can't believe you!"

Inuyasha was silent for a few seconds, not even the rustle of clothes could be heard. Then, he spoke in a cold voice, "Nobody died today. That should be enough for you." After a little more rustling of clothes, he told her that they were leaving.

Kagome turned around and caught her breath when she saw him back in his half-demon form, with the ears and all. "H-how do you do that?" she asked. "I mean, change your appearance like that?"

He smirked haughtily before answering. "It's a secret."

She sighed exasperatedly before taking a deep breath to calm down. Then, she questioned, "Why didn't you tell me it was you?"

"Tell you? And risk you doing something stupid that would give me away?" he asked sarcastically before adding, "No, thanks."

"What about later? After we left the castle?" she pressed.

"Well," he said as he fought back a grin threatening to surface on his face. "I was having too much fun."

'Fun?!' He was having fun while she was scared out of her wits? "You jerk!" she cried out as she made a move to hit his shoulder. However, he caught her hand in the air and threw her onto his back. Without understanding how it happened, she found herself riding his back. She held onto his neck for dear life, while her legs clenched onto his hips, supported by his hands on her thighs. Feeling his hands on her naked skin, she saw that her long skirt was hiked up to reveal her legs. She blushed deeply, more from the emotions his touch evoked in her, than the inappropriateness of the position. It did not last long, however. As he started running with incredible speed, the wind on her face helped her cool down. 'How can he run so fast? With me on his back nonetheless.' When he suddenly jumped high in the air, she squeaked in fear and buried her face to his neck, unconsciously tightening her hold on him. Hearing him chuckle, she raised her head a little to see his smiling profile. Looking down, she saw they were still in the air. 'Just like flying.' In a matter of seconds, he landed on his feet with ease and jumped again. Sensing the power and confidence behind his actions, Kagome relaxed on his back, and the next time he jumped, she found herself laughing with glee and crying out, 'higher!'

* * *

Kagome rode on his back most of the day, but he grudgingly let her walk when she complained about her muscles aching. When the sun was about to set, they stopped in a clearing to camp for the night. He left her alone for a few minutes and came back with a rabbit dangling in his hand. He lit a fire and cooked the rabbit, while she watched in amazement over the ease with which he performed all these duties. It was as if he had followed this routine so many times before. 'Perhaps, he did. Who knows?'

He was confusing her to no end. After being so close to him all day, now he was acting as if she did not exist at all. Sitting by the fire, his back leaning against the bark of a tree, he refused to look at her. However, Kagome caught him stealing glances in her direction a few times.

While they ate in silence, she couldn't help but think about what she had been told about him. Now looking at his calm and beautiful face, the young woman didn't want to believe that he had done the things they had told her. But after spending so much time with him, she couldn't help but wonder why he was so interested in her, only to be distant now. 'He might have finally realized that I'm not her.' That unwelcome thought shook her to the core. The idea of being led on like that just because she looked like someone else angered her. She had to confront him about it.

"Inuyasha?" He turned his head to look at her. "Can I ask you something?" At his barely recognizable nod, she hesitantly continued, "I've been told some things about you." Hearing that, his eyes hardened in an instant, but she forced herself not to stop. "They told me that you loved a woman before, that you lost her and that I looked like her."

His eyes flashed angrily, and he continued to look at her for a long time. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it back, his jaw tightening with barely suppressed … 'What? Anger?' He shook his head before jumping up to the branches of the tree they were camping under.

Despite the darkness, Kagome could see his shadowy figure perched on a thick branch with his back to the tree trunk and his hair dancing in the soft wind. Sighing, she leaned her back against the tree and fixed her eyes on the flames performing a timeless dance. 'He's angry with me, isn't he? Because I asked him about _her_. Does he still hurt?' Not wanting to think about him and his love for another woman anymore, Kagome closed her eyes and started humming a song she hadn't sung in a long time.

When she finished the tune, she opened her eyes and almost jumped in surprise when she was met with his burning golden orbs just in front of her face. 'How did he do that?' She hadn't heard him jump down at all.

"Will you sing again?" His voice was such a silent whisper that she wasn't sure if she had heard him right.

"Wh-what?"

"Will you sing … for me?"

"O-okay."

Without warning, Inuyasha scooped her up in his arms and jumped to the branch he had been perched on before, earning a squeak from the young woman. After both of them got comfortable — him leaning against the tree as he had before, his legs dangling on both sides, and her sitting in front of him, between his legs, her back against his chest — she started singing softly.

_Don't go_

_Stay by my side_

_I can't stand the emptiness_

_You left behind_

His arms, which had been holding hers to balance her weight, slowly slid down to circle her waist, holding her close to him — so close that she could feel his heartbeat in her own chest.

_There's no moon_

_There's no sun_

_Bright enough_

_To save my soul_

_From the darkness_

_You left behind_

_So I say_

_Don't go_

_Stay by my side_

When she was finished, she turned her head to see that he was already asleep. His head leaned against the tree; his face was illuminated by the soft moonlight. She thought he looked even more beautiful when he was sleeping. Smiling, she let her head fall onto his shoulder. Burying her face to his exposed neck, she inhaled his woodsy scent and sighed in bliss. Despite being out in the open on a tree branch, she found herself drifting to sleep, feeling warmer and more secure than ever.

* * *

The next morning they set out at sunrise. When the sun was at its peak in the sky, Kagome started complaining about her arms aching from holding onto his neck. Grumbling about ungrateful wenches, he let her down to walk by his side.

After ten minutes of walking, or more likely her trying to keep up with his pace but failing miserably, he slowed down enough for her to continue walking without having to run.

"Wench?" he asked suddenly.

"Wha — will you stop calling me that?! I have a name, you jerk!" She stopped in mid-tirade when a thought struck her. "Wait, you don't know my name, do you? Well, it's Kagome and now that we're properly introduced, I hope you will refer to me by my name."

"Yeah, yeah," he said dismissively. "So, tell me, wench …" His voice trailed off, and he glanced at her with something akin to amusement in his eyes.

Kagome returned his gaze with a dagger-filled look. She opened her mouth to give a piece of her mind to the infuriating man in front of her, but then thought better of it. 'Calm down, Kagome … Easy girl … You're a mature adult. It's obvious that he's making fun of you. Don't give him that pleasure.'

Straightening her shoulders, she replied with a carefully controlled voice. "I hate to repeat myself, but it's Kagome, Ka-Go-Me, not wench. I would like to think that you have enough ability to pronounce such a simple name."

The light in his eyes died the instant she started talking in such a calm manner. With a snort, he turned his head to look ahead. "Whatever, since you set our pace, and since I'm not willing to watch turtles beat us to our destination, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

"Myself? You really want to listen?"

"Keh! This journey can't get anymore boring, so why not? You're not from around here. Tell me where you came from. Where is your family? What have you been doing all your life? So … talk."

"Okay, if that is what you want," she mumbled before she started telling her story. "You see, there is a well in my family's shrine, which I fell down the night I …"

_

* * *

Three hours later …_

"… and stupid Souta thought it was Buyo! Can you believe that! Ha! He should have known I wouldn't let him off the hook that easily. The little monster …" Seeing that he wasn't interested in either her brother's or her cat's adventures, Kagome decided to change the topic. "Okay, it's your turn now." At the blank look he sent her, she rolled her eyes. "It's your turn. I believe I told you more than enough about myself. I even told you about our obese cat! Now, you get to tell me about yourself."

Rolling his eyes in return, Inuyasha caught her hand and urged her forward.

She resisted by dragging her feet to no avail. "Hey! That's not fair!" she cried out. He did not even glance at her. "Inuyasha! At least tell me where we're going!"

He stopped abruptly and looked around, causing her to wonder what was wrong. Then, he turned to her with a strange look in his eyes — a look she had seen before. "To our new home," he whispered.

"O-our new h-home?" she stuttered.

He nodded and took a step toward her. She retreated a step and found her back plastered to the bark of a tree. He took another step forward and raised his hand to her face, caressing her cheek with his knuckles, before whispering, "Yes, our home." Never breaking his eyes from hers, he slowly bent his head down and captured her lips in a soft kiss.

Finally feeling his lips on hers again after so much sexual tension, Kagome moaned aloud, giving him the chance to slip his tongue into her mouth. Her head began to spin when she felt him explore her mouth with his tongue and invite hers to a sinful dance. It was unbearable. She wanted more and she did not have the patience to wait for it. Clenching onto his collar, she forced his chest against hers while she pressed her hips up to his.

Growling, he held the back of her head in order to deepen the kiss. His other hand slid her skirt up and took a hold of her bottom. Never breaking the kiss, he slid his hand along her thigh, down to the back of her knee, and raised her leg to rest on his hip. She gasped when she felt him thrust his hips toward hers, letting her feel the bulge beneath his hakama. Still holding onto his collar, she thrust back, earning a moan mixed with a growl for her attempts.

The things he made her feel … She felt dizzy from the intensity of her emotions. Everywhere he touched burned for more. Why did she feel like that? How did he do that? 'Who cares? Just, please don't stop. I need … more.'

As if hearing her thoughts, the hand that had been holding her leg at his hip slowly came up her thigh, letting her feel his long claws on her shivering skin. He slid one finger in her panties and caressed her overly heated core, causing her to whimper in need and increase her already strong hold on his collar.

Just as she was about to lose the ability to form coherent thoughts, he severed his lips from hers abruptly and let her leg down. A savage growl broke out from his chest, causing her to feel its tremors through her body. Fear gripped at her heart when she saw his eyes flash red. Without knowing what she was doing, she put her hands to his cheeks and forced his head to face her. Looking at his red-rimmed eyes, which would frighten anyone who happened to see such a sight, she wondered why she did not feel fear. Still growling, he leaned his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. She felt him take deep breaths to calm himself down.

'Why did he get angry all of a sudden?' Her question was answered when a white clad figure appeared from the shadows of the forest. His long white hair whipping in the breeze behind him, the newcomer looked like an angel that had fallen down to earth. The moment his cold, calculating eyes fell on her, she felt a chill run up her spine. 'More like the angel of death …' Then, he turned those cold eyes to the half-demon, who was now back to normal and watching the intruder with annoyance written all over his face.

"Now, now, is that how you greet your brother, Inuyasha?"

End of Chapter 6


	7. The West Shore

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Warning:** Lime and lime.

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 7: ****The West Shore**

"Come in." The door slid open, revealing the expected visitor.

"My lady." The man performed an exaggerated bow to the woman sitting on a cushion by the window, his long staff jingling softly.

"Always the gentleman, aren't you, Miroku?" He could hear her chuckle softly under the cloak of her veil.

"Only for you, Lady Keiko."

"Oh, come now, as if I don't know you, monk."

"How are you feeling now?" he asked.

"Not very well," she mumbled. "All that smoke … I thought I wouldn't be able to breathe again. It still hurts."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He bowed his head to look at his feet. He'd never been comfortable around sick people. It did not matter who the person was, he always felt guilty for not being able to help them. Besides, this was Keiko. She had almost died during the fire while trying to save the children that had been trapped in the garden between the shrine and the adjacent barn. He might not agree with everything she had done or with her methods against demons, but he couldn't deny the fact that if it hadn't been her, it would have been someone else. The game had been set already when Keiko had come into the picture. And, if she hadn't come up with the idea of subduing demons instead of purifying them, both sides would have had to endure much more losses. If only the war would end before it was too late.

There was just one thing that still bothered him since the beginning. If only he could find his answers … he just needed one chance, just one chance to see it for himself. For several years, Miroku had secretly wished that he had been wrong and that he had made a huge mistake that terrible day he had lost his friend. And now, it became more likely than ever that his wish would become real.

Shaking his head once, Miroku turned his thoughts back to the reason he had come to see her. Raising his head, he looked at the priestess' hidden face. "We can't find her anywhere."

Lady Keiko sighed tiredly before gesturing him to sit down. "I know, for she's not here."

Taking the offered seat, the monk turned his head toward the woman. He raised both eyebrows in question. "You think so?"

"I know so," she answered. "This whole attack was just to get the girl. I've been informed that she was last seen leaving the grounds with a soldier, or should I say, a human man dressed like one of our soldiers. Does that mean anything to you, Miroku?"

It did. He knew from the beginning who it had been. Just like he knew the girl would be gone even before they searched for her. He also had an idea how his old friend managed to pull it off. He just didn't want to voice his thoughts, fearing that it would lead to other questions he did not want to answer. So, Miroku opted to change the subject instead. "Will you send forces out to look for her?"

Keiko shook her head as she answered, "No. There's no point in searching for her. I'm sure she's already beyond our reach." She paused for a second before adding, "Besides, I believe this will work well for us."

"How come?" asked Miroku, confused. 'What is she thinking?'

"She'll help us." At his questioning look, she added, "You know that she's our best chance to capture Inuyasha." Oh, of course he did know that. He just couldn't stomach the idea. "In order to give us that chance, she has to be close to him — at least for a while."

"I see. How do you know she will do it? Did she tell you that she would?" Kagome wouldn't, would she? What Keiko implied required her to be two-faced, but the young woman wasn't like that. She was too innocent to do such a thing. Besides, fooling Inuyasha with lies required excellent skills in treachery. She wouldn't be able to pull that off even if she tried. But then again, considering the half-demon's weakness for the girl, he couldn't say for sure that he would survive such an ordeal.

"No, she didn't, but I know she will," answered the priestess.

'How can Keiko be so sure? Does she know something that I don't?' Just as Miroku opened his mouth to voice that thought, someone knocked at the door before the soldier he knew to be one of Keiko's personal guards entered with one of the last people he ever expected to see. 'What?! What is he doing here of all places?!' The monk's eyes widened as he saw the collar ringing the young demon's neck. 'Gods! No!' Raising his eyes to his face, he was met with a solemn look in those bright green eyes that normally shone with mischief.

"I've brought the demon as you requested, my lady," said the soldier.

"Thank you, you may leave us now."

As the guard stepped out of the room and closed the door, Keiko turned her attention to the young demon. "Hello, little one. It's been so long since we've last met, hasn't it?" After seeing the demon nod in response, she asked, "Did you realize we've been attacked? Who do you think could have done that?"

"I-inu-y-yasha," said the demon with difficulty.

"That's what I thought," murmured Keiko. Ignoring the young one's discomfort, she continued, "I know of only one man who is crazy enough to do such a thing, and as a human to top it all! You know what? This reminds me that he's half-human."

Eyes widening, Miroku had to exert inhuman control to keep his terrified gaze from turning to the woman sitting next to him. His heart skipped a beat upon hearing the rest of her words.

"Come to think of it, every half-demon is known to have a time when they turn human, isn't that right? Do you know when our beloved Inuyasha turns human, Shippo?"

This had been what Miroku had feared for the last several years. Once being close to Inuyasha, he and Sango knew of his weakness. Although they had drifted apart, he still had enough respect for his old friend to keep the man's secret. Besides, he believed that it wouldn't be fair to the half-demon to be cornered in his vulnerable state. For such a proud person, it would be worse than death, and Miroku had never wished for the demon's death.

The young demon, who had once considered him an older brother, clenched his teeth in order to keep the word from coming out of his mouth. Unfortunately, the spell he'd been bound with was too strong for someone so young. Even worse was that fox demons were not known for their strength. 'No. Say, no.'

"Y-yes."

Hearing that word from Shippo's quivering voice, the monk closed his eyes, waiting for the dreaded question.

"Good. Tell me, Shippo. When does he become human?" asked Keiko.

"N-n-no …"

Feeling the young demon's resistance to the spell, Miroku opened his eyes to see his face. The strain he put on himself not to answer the given command could be seen with the naked eye. Miroku shook his head and clenched his fists.

So close to getting the valuable information, Keiko pushed the fox demon into talking. "When, Shippo?"

"The n-night o-of t-the …" With a great deal of effort, Shippo put his hands to his head, and with an agonizing cry, the boy fell to his knees. "… t-the n- …" With an ear splitting shriek, he crashed his head against the floor and passed out.

Feeling somewhat relieved that Shippo wouldn't be able to tell anything for the time being, the monk knelt in front of the unconscious boy and checked his pulse.

"Poor child, I shouldn't have forced him so much." Keiko's voice was laced with pity. Sighing, she stood up. "Well, I guess I'll be leaving now."

Miroku looked up in surprise before asking, "Leaving? To where?"

"I need to go check on the barriers, as usual."

"Now? Don't you want to wait for the boy to come to?"

"No, this is more important. The boy will still be here when I come back, won't he?"

'I don't understand. Checking on the villages is more important than learning Inuyasha's time of weakness?' "But you're sick and tired," he insisted. "You know you don't have to do it yourself. I can do it for you."

"No." The woman's response was followed with violent coughs that shook her whole body. After a few seconds, Lady Keiko was finally able to talk again. "On second thought, you can help me out."

Coming to his feet, Miroku nodded. "Okay. I'll start with our village. I need to check on the children, too."

The priestess shook her head, causing the skirts of her white veil to dance around her shoulders. "No. I'll check that village and check on your children while I'm there. You take care of the other villages."

Miroku tilted his head to one side, as if seeing her from a different angle would help him better understand her motives. "Why do you want to go there yourself?"

The woman chuckled over his curiosity before explaining. Her voice was soft with unhidden sorrow. "You know I lived in that village for a long time. It's a special place to me. I want to make sure that it is protected properly."

"Oh, I see."

* * *

"I see you're back, asshole." Still hovering over Kagome as if to hide her from the gaze of the newcomer, Inuyasha sounded irritated.

Rolling his eyes, the white clad figure answered sarcastically, "I'm glad to hear that at least your eyes work well, Inuyasha."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked before he added mockingly, "Came to check on your little brother? I'm touched."

"Do not flatter yourself, half-breed."

Obviously not willing to deal with the man's disdainful attitude, Inuyasha snapped in a rather loud voice, "Will you just tell me why the fuck you're here or not, Sesshoumaru?" The continuous twitching of his ears indicated his lack of patience.

"I thought I smelled something." Sesshoumaru made a show of sniffing the air before looking from Inuyasha to the girl and then back at the half-demon. "And, I see I wasn't wrong."

"What of it?"

Was there something wrong with her eyes or was that a blush on Inuyasha's face? 'Why is he blushing? Just what did the man imply? What could he have smelled?' Her musings were cut short by the angry voice of the angel of death, as she chose to refer to him.

"Are you really as idiotic as you seem to be? What do you think you're doing here, out in the open, you baka?!"

Seemingly not affected by the blatant show of anger, Inuyasha turned his head away from the man with a smirk plastered on his face. "Keh! So you _were_ looking out for your little brother after all."

"I just don't want you to get yourself killed before I kill you," retorted Sesshoumaru.

When the half-demon only snorted in reply, the angel of death continued, "Stop fooling around like a mindless pup and go back to the castle now. You might have forgotten but you have responsibilities. Do not make me remind you again, if you don't want one more hole in your body." With that, the angel turned his back to the couple and slowly walked away, disappearing into the shadows.

Once the man was out of sight, the irritated half-demon shook his head and mumbled something under his breath that sounded like 'bastard.'

Still not knowing what to make of this rather unusual and unexpected meeting, Kagome turned to look at his agitated face. "Was that really your brother?" she asked.

Snorting, the hanyou turned to look at her. "Half-brother," he corrected. "Some say he is. I say he is just a mother-f- ..." Still continuing to voice his carefully chosen names for his half-brother, Inuyasha let her climb onto his back. He took off in the direction they had last seen the dog demon.

* * *

"Sango."

At the sound of her husband entering the room, the slayer looked up from her place on the futon. Her right hand froze in the air, holding a needle, while the other held her armor on her knees. "What is it, Miroku?"

Closing the door behind him, he walked toward where his wife was seated and stopped in front of her. "I'm leaving to check on the barriers for Keiko. While I'm gone, I need you to do two things for me."

Curiosity apparent on her face, Sango wasted no time in voicing her question, "What do you want me to do?"

"Shippo is here."

"What?!" the woman practically yelled.

"Shush, Sango, he obviously got in among a group of hostages but was found out soon after."

Shaking her head, the slayer looked out the window. "Stupid child, what was he thinking?"

"It doesn't matter now. He probably deserved what he got for his stupidity," muttered Miroku before adding in a grim voice, "I would let him learn his lesson for a while, but Keiko tried to make him talk today."

Hearing that, Sango turned sharply to face him, her eyes wide with fear.

Nodding at her to indicated she had heard him correctly, Miroku continued, "You must hide Shippo. Don't try to take him out of the castle; it is too dangerous for you. Just, find someplace where no one will find him."

"Okay," said Sango before asking, "What else?"

"I need you to go to the village."

* * *

On the horizon, Kagome could see a white, rocky mountain that stood in stark contrast against the green forest they were traveling through — or over, to be exact. He had been jumping nonstop from tree to tree for the last hour. Even though the woman enjoyed it a lot, she was beginning to wonder if he ever tired.

Her question was answered a few minutes later when Inuyasha landed on the ground next to the river. Its channel had cut the only clearing they had come upon in the thick forest. He knelt down to let her feet touch the ground. After she climbed down and was sure that she could stand on her own, she let his neck go. Without even a glance in her direction, he immediately stood up and made his way toward the river.

For a few seconds, Kagome stayed where he had left her, watching his back with her mouth agape. After that rather unexpected and unforgettable moment they had shared before his brother intruded, the half-demon was back to ignoring her. She clenched her fists in anger. What was his problem? He was confusing her with his behavior. She gasped when an unwelcome, but rather logical thought struck her. 'Perhaps, he forgets that I'm _not_ her in those times when we are intimate and he acts cold when he remembers.'

Crossing her arms, Kagome walked away from the half-demon. She watched the leaves being crashed under her feet as she mulled over questions she didn't have an answer for. 'Okay, maybe that's how it is, but then, I should feel angry at him for playing with me like that. Oh gods, why am I not angry? Why does it make me sad to know that he sees someone else when he looks at me?'

The young woman came out of her musings at the sound of footsteps coming toward her. She raised her head, expecting to see Inuyasha, but he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, all she saw were trees — everywhere. 'I must have walked into the forest without realizing it. Now, how do I go back?' Every direction looked the same. 'The river! We were near the river.'

She held her breath to listen to the sound of the river, but jumped in fright when she heard loud footsteps instead. "Inuyasha?" Kagome hoped against hope that it was him making that much noise. However, she knew that it was not possible. She had been around him enough to know that none of his movements, including his footfalls, made noise.

She squeaked when two trees fell to the ground with a loud crash. To her horror, an incredibly ugly oni stepped in front of her. Frozen in fear, she could not move, or think, for two long seconds. She looked up to see the creature's snake-like head hovering over her. The only difference between it and a giant snake was the short legs it stood on and the two long arms, each supporting three fingers that looked disturbingly like its poisonous tail.

Kagome opened her mouth to scream when she saw one of those hideous arms coming toward her chest with incredible speed. Before it could strike, she found herself in the air, with a rather angry 'Dammit' echoing in her ears.

Turning her head to the right, Kagome saw Inuyasha's face. His lips were pulled up in a snarl that showed both of his fangs; his eyes burned with fury. Landing a safe distance away from the oni, he put her down and whirled to face her. His angry eyes drilled holes into her frightened orbs. "Stupid, bitch! What the hell did you think you were doing wondering away like that?!"

She wanted to snap back at him for that comment, she really did. However, he was already gone before she could open her mouth. Her eyes wide, she watched him jump toward the oni with his right hand clasping his sheathed sword. Half-way through the air, he drove his sword forward. To her surprise, the normally thin, rusty looking weapon turned into a giant blade almost the size of its bearer. When he was about to crash into the creature's scaled body, he turned in the air and landed on one knee a few feet away from the oni. His head was bent down, letting his bangs hide his face. His right arm, along with his sword, was parallel to the ground.

She did not understand what caused the creature to shriek when Inuyasha flew over its head. About two seconds after he landed, it became clear, though. She gasped when she saw the arm that tried to strike her split from the oni's shoulder and fall to the ground. 'H-how did he do that? Just how fast can this guy be? I didn't even see him strike!'

Enraged over the loss of its limb, the snake-like creature raised its enormous tail to deliver a deadly strike. The half-demon stood up and turned to his enemy. His sword was raised, ready to meet the blow. Everything about Inuyasha screamed confidence. However, it turned out that the creature had a plan that her demon did not anticipate. It sent its tail toward the girl instead and shouted to its surprised enemy, "Whatss will you do nowss, half-breedss?!"

Kagome was so surprised to hear it talk, she didn't even realize the danger she was in. First, she looked at Inuyasha when she heard his cry of 'Dammit!' to see him jump in her direction. Then, she turned her head to look at the creature and saw the tail with poisonous spikes coming at her.

She knew she did not have enough time to get out of the way, but the girl tried anyway. Without thinking, she closed her eyes, and praying for a miracle, Kagome threw herself to the left. She screamed when she felt the force of the impact throw her uncontrollably. Seconds later, her body connected with the ground abruptly. She opened her eyes, expecting to see the poisonous appendage that would be her end hovering over her, but was met with a rather peaceful view of the sky. Disoriented from the impact and the fall, Kagome sat up and saw the creature walking away from her. As she rose to her feet, she realized that it was headed for an unconscious Inuyasha, who was laying on a fallen tree. 'Gods, it was him that threw me, wasn't it? Not the oni. He must have taken the blow that was meant for me!'

Seeing the oni getting closer to the unconscious, and thus defenseless half-demon, fear rose up in her heart — fear for the man that saved her life by risking his own. Hidden beneath the fear, she could feel another emotion boiling and rising to the surface: anger. That creature obviously had no honor, going after someone who was currently unable to protect himself. And, it was after her half-demon, no less. 'How dare it even think of touching him?' She clenched her fists at her sides as her anger gave her the courage she did not know she possessed. 'Oh, no, you won't!'

Bending down, Kagome picked up the first thing she laid her hands on, which happened to be a fist-sized rock. Standing up, she shouted at the oni, "Hey! This way, you over-grown worm!" She then threw the rock at the back of its head with all the power she could muster.

She knew that the rock would not harm the thick-scaled monster, but it served its purpose by taking the oni's attention away from the half-demon and putting it on her. 'O-okay, now what?' Well, who said she had a plan? Although, she wished she had, seeing the monster coming in her way. 'What else? Run, stupid!' Turning around, Kagome sprinted into the thick forest, without waiting to see the creature's next move. She did not need to see it, though, for she could hear its loud steps coming after her — fast.

Kagome ran amongst the trees as fast as her legs let her, trying not to trip on the tree roots. She was lucky at first. She managed to jump over the roots and change direction at the right times, thus avoiding the oni's attempts to strike her. Her luck did not last long, though, because she fell to the ground after her foot came in contact with a rather large root.

She rolled onto her back and saw the oni hovering over her; its tail was raised in the air, ready for the finishing blow. She closed her eyes, not wanting the poisonous tail to be the last thing she would see in this world, only for the image to be replaced by the image of Inuyasha with the affectionate look on his face that always took her breath away.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her!"

Gasping, Kagome opened her eyes, and her heart stopped beating for a second. Inuyasha stood right in front of her with his knees bent slightly and his giant sword between him and the poisonous stinger. Putting his left hand to the flat side of his weapon, he pushed the creature back with a grunt, causing it to fly a distance away.

"You just signed your death warrant, bastard," he mumbled.

The woman stood up on shaky legs, all the while wondering what he was doing raising his sword to the air. His hands covered its handle tightly. While she watched in confusion, he brought the sword down to the ground as if he was chopping unseen wood in front of him.

"Wind scar!" he yelled.

Her eyes flew wide open when she saw the blinding lights coming out from where the sword hit the ground, and she stumbled back a few steps as the ground shook with a thunderous noise that echoed through the forest. As the light settled down, the oni was nowhere to be seen. However, she could see three long and deep gashes on the ground, starting at the point the sword hit.

While her eyes were glued to the gashes he somehow made with his sword, Inuyasha sheathed the now normal looking weapon and turned to her. He rushed to her side and started frantically checking her for injuries. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Smiling over his concern, she nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Obviously not confident with her answer, he held her cheeks with both hands and raised her head to look at her face. "Are you sure? You don't hurt anywhere, do you?" To her surprise and amusement, he sniffed her.

She smiled at his antics before remembering that he was the one the snake hit, not her. "I'm perfectly fine. What about you? That was a nasty hit you took!"

Inuyasha shook his head, indicating that he was fine. "Keh! That was nothing." Then, he kissed her forehead and hugged her to his chest, earning a gasp from the young woman, before whispering in her ear, "I'm glad you're not hurt."

Sighing in content, Kagome hugged him back. Much sooner than she would have liked, he let her go and cleared his throat. "Let's go, wench. We don't have all day."

"Wench?! You, you jerk!"

She tried to kick him, but he jumped back, avoiding the blow. "Come on, I said we didn't have all day." With that, he caught her around her waist and threw her over his shoulder. The young woman shrieked in surprise before her captor jumped high in the air.

* * *

It turned out that the white mountain Kagome had seen before was where they were headed. As they got closer, she realized that the mountain, at least on the side she saw, was made of a huge rock that formed a smooth cliff that resembled a skyscraper. It was so high and sharp, it seemed impossible to reach its top without flying. When they reached its base, she realized that the wall the mountain formed in front of them wasn't perfectly smooth. She could see step-like dents far from each other.

Telling her to hold on tight, the half demon started jumping from one step to the other, causing her heart to leap into her throat every time he took to the air. When they finally reached the top of the mountain, he let her off his back.

"Lord Inuyasha! You're back!"

They both turned to see a young man dressed in elegant armor. He looked handsome with his perfect face supporting a pleasant smile and his long black hair falling down his shoulders freely. His grey eyes shone in excitement as he approached the couple. 'He must be a demon.'

"Of course I'm back. What were you expecting, brat?" asked the half-demon irritably.

She gasped as the young man bowed to Inuyasha. With his gruff and occasionally playful attitude, it was easy to forget that he was a lord, a general. It seemed to her that he was a well-respected one, too.

Not waiting for the young man to stand up, the lord started walking past him. "So, anything happened while I was gone?"

The young demon stood up and ran after his lord while explaining that everything was all right and that he had not encountered anything unusual during his shift.

Kagome ran to catch up with their fast pace. She could see that the top of the mountain was covered with greenery. However, unlike the wild forest they had traveled through, this place looked more like a garden, with trees and flowers placed in symmetry on both sides of a pathway, which Inuyasha seemed to be heading to.

They walked down the path and came to the steps that led them to the side of the mountain. The young demon left their company, saying that he could not leave his spot until his shift was over. As they descended the steps, the trees on the right gave way to a clearing, and she could see the side of a giant structure that resembled a castle. Unlike the traditional Japanese castles, this structure was made of stone. Its back side was carved into the large mountain it was laying against. With its countless towers and enormous size, it looked both beautiful and menacing at the same time.

They traveled down the steps, which took them to the front gates. The gates looked out to a cliff that overlooked the sea, with a small grassy plain between the entryway and the cliff's edge. She gasped at the magnificent view. Now, she could see that this castle was located on top of a stone mountain that was impossible to climb by humans from any side. 'How very convenient and beautiful.' They were so high up that it felt as if she was flying over the ocean without wings.

She came out of her musings as she felt him take her arm and lead her inside. As soon as they passed through the gates, a yellow blur crashed into Inuyasha's chest. Upon closer look, she saw that it was a small, rather cute kitten.

"Hi, Kirara." Patting the cat's head, who was now perched on his shoulder, Inuyasha turned to face his companion. "This is Kirara," he introduced. "She's a cat demon."

After looking at Kagome's smiling face for a second, the cat jumped into her waiting arms. "Oh! How cute!"

Smirking, he turned his back to her and started walking toward the stone building. "Cute? You should see her when she's transformed."

With Kirara in her arms, they passed through a well-kept garden and the larger gate of the stone, palace-like building. On the way, she saw demons of all kind, all of them watching her wearily, especially the women. They looked at her with distaste. Kagome glanced at him, but before she could ask, he told her that they could sense the spiritual power she possessed. It made them uneasy because they did not know her. Despite the odd looks she received, she felt safe and strangely proud to see that everyone bowed to her companion when he passed them.

When they finally got inside after a long walk through the large garden, they were greeted by an old woman in priestess clothes. He introduced the old woman as Lady Nobuko, a priestess and one of his advisers, and sent Kagome with her to his quarters to rest. He told her that he had business to attend to and that he would see her there shortly.

Nodding, she watched him leave down the stairs that led to god-only-knew which part of the huge structure. Only when he was out of her sight did she turn to face the woman she was left with, only to see a knowing smile on her face that gave a wise air.

"Shall we?" the old woman asked.

Kagome nodded and proceeded to follow her to Inuyasha's quarters, which turned out to be located at the top of one of the many towers she had seen from outside. When they reached the top after a long climb, the priestess opened the door and let her enter first. She idly wondered how such an old woman managed to live in a place with so many stairs, but her thoughts came to an abrupt halt at the sight that met her eyes. The room was ... spectacular. The walls, the floors, the curtains, the giant bed in the middle of the room — everything was garbed in red with silver and gold patterns.

"How do you like it?" asked Nobuko.

Kagome turned back to the old priestess to let her know her fascination, but instead of an old woman, her eyes fell on an elegantly dressed, white-haired young woman that stood by the door. The last thing she saw before darkness took her was the woman's disturbingly white eyes.

* * *

Kagome opened her eyes to the feeling of something wet on her face, only to see two red eyes looking at her from a few inches above. It turned out that it was Kirara's way of helping her awaken by licking her cheeks.

Smiling at the small cat demon, she turned her head to her right to see the owner of the shadow that blocked the sunlight from her eyes. The woman with white eyes was staring at her from where she sat next to her. Before Kagome could ask who she was, the woman started talking in a soft voice that contradicted her frightening appearance.

"I'm so sorry. It's my fault that you fainted. I was being careless."

Sitting up, Kagome tried to avoid looking her in the eyes. "I don't understand. H-how?"

"Don't worry. It happens even to the best of us when we are exposed to a mind-reader's powers the first time."

Hearing another voice, Kagome turned to the old woman who was sitting by the fire, pouring a green liquid into a small cup. "Mind-reader?"

It was the white-eyed woman that answered her question this time. "Yes. I'm Hiromi. I came here hoping to see Lord Inuyasha, but instead, I found you, young lady."

Kagome turned her head once again in the other direction as she sensed the old woman approaching her. Extending to her the cup she had been filling with that strange substance, she asked Kagome to drink it. The girl from the future scrunched up her face at the foul smell that filled her nostrils.

The old woman chuckled at her facial expression. "I know it smells bad, but what medicine doesn't? Drink it. It will help you regain your strength."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome raised the cup to her mouth and let the disgusting liquid flow down her throat in one big gulp. She laid back, coughing as the liquid burned her throat. Looking from one woman to the other, she asked how long she had been out. She gasped as Lady Nobuko told her that she had been out for almost all afternoon.

"Where is Inuyasha?" she asked. 'Did he just leave me here alone with these two women all day? I don't even know them! I thought he had said he would meet me here!'

The old woman smiled at the panic in her voice. "Lord Inuyasha came to check on you but had to leave since he had a lot to attend to."

Chuckling, the mind-reader joined the old woman's attempts to help Kagome relax. "I'm really glad you're up. He already lashed out at me for being careless. I don't know what he would do if he were to see you still out cold the next time he came."

Hearing that, Kagome couldn't help the small smile forming on her lips. Feeling strangely drowsy and knowing that he would come sooner if she slept, the girl let her eyes close slowly.

_

* * *

Holding her hand tightly, he led her deeper into the forest. She was irritated that he would not say where he was taking her, but she was too excited to be with him to get angry.__ But she had to know ..._

"_Inuyasha! At least tell me where we're going!"_

_He stopped abruptly and turned to look at her, his eyes shining with barely hidden excitement. Letting her hand go, he hesitated for a second before answering, "To our new home."_

"_O-our new h-home?"_

_He nodded and took a step toward her. She retreated a step and found her back plastered against a tree. He took another step forward and raised his hand to her face, caressing her cheek with his knuckles. Then, he whispered, "Yes, _our_ home." Never breaking the eye contact, he slowly bent his head down and captured her lips in a soft kiss._

_Kagome moaned aloud at the feel of his hot lips on hers, giving him the chance to slip his tongue into her mouth. Her head began to spin when she felt him explore her mouth with his tongue and invite hers into a sinful dance. It was unbearable. She wanted more and she did not have the patience to wait for it. Clenching onto his collar, she forced his chest down to hers, while she pressed her hips up to his._

_Growling, he held the back of her head with the hand that had been caressing her face in order to deepen the kiss, while his other hand slid her skirt up and took a hold of her bottom. Never breaking the kiss, he slid his hand along her thigh, down to the back of her knee, and raised her leg to rest on his hip. She gasped when she felt him thrust his hips toward hers, letting her feel the bulge beneath his hakama. Still holding onto his collar, she thrust back, earning a moan mixed with a growl for her attempts._

_The things he made her feel… She felt dizzy from the intensity of her emotions. Everywhere he touched burned for more. How did he manage to make her feel like that? 'Who cares? Just, please don't stop. I need … more.' _

_As if hearing her thoughts, the hand that had been holding her leg on his hip slowly came up her thigh, letting her feel his long claws on her shivering skin. He slid one finger in her panties and caressed her overly heated core, causing her to whimper in need and increase her already strong hold on his collar._

_Inuyasha caressed her again, emitting another moan from the light-headed woman. She whimpered again when he held his finger back and she felt him smirk against her lips. Not having the patience to participate in his game, she growled angrily before thrusting her hips against his with all the power she had. The motion caused both of them to fall on the ground with him lying on his back as she straddled his hips._

_Breaking off the kiss, she looked at his surprised eyes before smirking in a very Inuyasha-like manner. Never taking her eyes off of his, she took a hold of the edges of his haori and inner shirt and spread them apart in one fluid movement. He gasped, feeling her hands on the naked skin of his chest. Unable to resist the temptation, Kagome bent down and started kissing his quivering chest, her hands traveling down his abs to take a hold of the strings that held his hakama closed. He growled as she kissed one of his nipples, and she answered him by rocking her hips against his erection._

_Before she was done with the strings of his hakama, he rolled them over and trapped her under his body. Taking her hands off of his hakama, he held them over her head and captured her lips in a hungry kiss. His hips danced over hers, back and forth to create a delicious friction that maddened her. Panting, he broke the kiss, giving her access to much needed air. Locking his burning gaze with hers, he took one clawed hand and proceeded to slowly cut a straight line through her clothes, starting with the neckline of her shirt and ending with the hem of her skirt. He smirked at her as if to say, 'This is how it is done.'_

_Letting her hands go, he started kissing her exposed skin from her neck to her belly, leaving a scolded trail everywhere his lips touched. By the time he reached her belly, Kagome was having trouble breathing. Her moans grew louder and louder as he approached the one place that needed his touch the most. As he traveled down her body, lower and lower, she had to accept that she had lost the fight for dominance. Needing some semblance of control over him as much as she needed something to hold on to, she latched her fingers onto his ears and began rubbing softly. The half-demon emitted a growl that vibrated through her whole body. After placing his hands on her hips, he raised his eyes to look at her face before dipping his head down. She cried out his name as she felt the unbelievable softness of his wet tongue on her over-heated core._

* * *

Kagome woke up panting, only to see Lady Nobuko smiling at her. She blushed deeply, remembering the dream she just had. 'It felt so real. Gods, what is he doing to me? I'm having wet dreams about him now?! I've never felt this frustrated in my life!'

"How are you feeling, child?" asked the old priestess.

"Oh, I'm much better, thanks."

The woman looked at her skeptically before standing up. "Well, one would think otherwise, seeing how you have difficulty breathing."

Kagome blushed even more at that comment. 'Does she know about my dream? Did I talk in my sleep?' Hoping against hope that she did not, the girl gave a weak smile and waved both of her hands, which had been clenching the front of her shirt, indicating that the woman was wrong. "I'm perfectly fine! Really!"

Chuckling, the old woman walked toward the door before looking at her over her shoulder. "If you're really fine, I have to take my leave now. It's quite late at night. You should rest some more. I'm sure Lord Inuyasha will be back soon." With that she closed the door behind her, leaving the young woman alone with Kirara, who was blissfully asleep at the foot of her large futon.

* * *

Kagome opened her eyes to the sunlight filtering in from the half-closed window. Streching her body, she realized her movements were constricted by something. She turned her head, only to see the face she had missed the day before. He was laying next to her, his arms around her waist, her back to his chest.

Smiling, she turned back to face him and couldn't stop her eyes from traveling up and down his naked upper half. On their way up, her eyes landed on a necklace that was made of dark beads and white fangs. 'That! Is that the necklace Keiko told me about?' Not wanting to think about the necklace and the things it reminded her, she let her eyes travel up to his face and then to the top of his head. The adorable ears that twitched once in a while provided her the distraction she needed. Well, maybe more than she needed.

Mesmerized, she couldn't help herself. She had to do it. Very slowly, Kagome raised her hand and softly touched the little appendages. 'So soft ...' Becoming bolder by the second, she started rubbing them to her immense delight.

After a few moments, he spoke without opening his eyes, "Aren't you satisfied yet?"

'Gods! He was awake?!' Despite the embarrassment she felt at being caught, she smiled at the annoyance in his voice. "No, not yet."

With a loud 'Keh!' he made a sudden move and ended up hovering over her. "Well, let's see how we can change that." He leaned over her as she closed her eyes in anticipation of his lips on hers. She gasped softly when she felt the feathery touch of his lips on the corner of her mouth, then on her jaw, then on the tip of her nose, and then on her cheek.

Kagome opened her dilated eyes to see his beautiful face a few inches over hers. His eyes were swirling with a myriad of emotions, making her head spin and taking her deeper and deeper. Without taking his eyes off of hers, he slowly trailed a path on her skin with the tip of his claw. He started at her right ear, continued through her jaw and then her neck, down between the valley of her breasts, and stopped at her belly button. His progression caused the thin yukata she was wearing to slide open, revealing her naked skin.

She was panting by now, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. While she watched with half-lidded eyes, he slid down a little, his head hovering over her rapidly raising and falling chest. He left one feather-soft kiss on each hardened nipple, causing her to gasp in unexpected delight. Not heeding her attempts to feel his lips again by raising her chest, he slid down the futon and placed himself between her raised knees. Looking at her half-closed eyes and smirking slightly, he dipped his head down.

Kagome held her breath in anticipation of feeling his touch down there, but let it out as she heard him swear instead.

"Fuck!"

Not understanding what was wrong, she raised her head to see him looking at the door over his shoulder. Not a moment passed before someone knocked on the door.

"What, dammit!" yelled Inuyasha.

Following his rather rude demand, the deep voice of a man was heard behind the door. "Forgive me, my lord, but Lord Sesshoumaru wants to see you immediately."

"Fucking asshole! Fine! Tell him I'm coming!" he bellowed.

Sighing in disappointment, Kagome moved to get up, only to be stopped by his hands on her hips. Sending her a warning look, he turned his attention to where it was only seconds before and gave her a long, slow lick that caused both of them to moan in bliss. She closed her eyes, all her muscles trembling at the feelings he caused. When his next touch did not come as soon as she would have liked, she opened her eyes to see that he was already gone.

* * *

An hour later, Kagome was washed up, dressed and ready to face anyone that entered through that door. She shot up when she heard the door slide open, only to see Lady Nobuko come in with her breakfast. Apparently, she could not manage to hide her disappointment, for the woman started chuckling and shaking her head as she prepared the low table for her to eat. The young woman ate in silence, her thoughts fixed on one person, and she drank the foul smelling potion the old woman presented her without objection.

As the old woman cleaned the table, the girl walked toward the window and looked down to the garden. Her eyes widened when she saw Inuyasha cross the courtyard. As she watched, he was stopped by a beautiful woman in elegant clothes who, to her immense irritation, was openly flirting with him. She clenched her fists in anger. How dare that woman touch him? When she saw him put his hand on the woman's, who was playing with his collar, Kagome couldn't stand to see more and turned her back to the scene.

End of Chapter 7


	8. Entranced

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

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_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

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**Warning:** The original version of this chapter contains a lemon, which is cut in this version. If you want to read the full version, use the following link (do not forget to leave out the spaces): http : // www . mediaminer . org / fanfic / view _ st . php / 157750

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 8****: Entranced**

Turning back, Kagome came face to face with Lady Nobuko. A knowing smile on her face, the old woman placed her wrinkled hands on her shoulders and forced the dejected young woman to face the window once more, only to witness a scene she hadn't been expecting to see. Kagome's eyes shone with amusement, and she felt a strange pride as she watched Inuyasha take the vixen's hand off his collar. He sidestepped the woman and went on his way. His irritation was apparent in his fast and long strides, as well as the tightened lines of his face.

She exhaled the breath she had been holding.

"He's a strange one ... Lord Inuyasha," mumbled Nobuko. "During the five years I've known him, never have I seen him look at a woman."

As Kagome turned back to the old woman with questions in her eyes, the woman smiled at her and went back to the table. Pouring some tea into two small porcelain cups with golden patterns of flowers painted on their smooth surface, she started telling a story that interested her young listener so much that the girl scooted closer to the old woman so as not to miss a word of it.

"As you might know, Lord Inuyasha is a half-demon." She glanced at Kagome, only to see her nod in response. "Normally, half-demons are poor souls that are scorned by demons and feared by humans. The belief that they have no place in this world is probably the only thing both races agree upon." Placing one cup in front of Kagome, Nobuko took a small sip from her own cup before she continued with the story. "Unfortunately, the majority of demons and humans believe that half-demons should be killed at birth."

Gasping at what she heard, Kagome's hands trembled, almost causing the hot liquid to spill on her lap. "What?! But, that's so vile!"

"It is a shame, indeed. I believe Lord Inuyasha suffered a lot from this misconduct against his kind since his early childhood. I've heard that even his brother tried to kill him many times in the past. Only in the last decade has he been accepted by demons, thanks to his critical role in this war." The old woman sighed before taking another sip from her cup. "Later, with his older brother and the dog clan's acceptance of him, he achieved an even stronger position in the demon world. You see, Lord Sesshoumaru is the ruler of the dog clan, a title inherited from their late father. Nowadays, it has become clear that he will not have a child of his own, which entitles his young brother as his only heir, the prince of the dog clan. Lord Inuyasha does not seem to care about any of these titles but others do. Especially, those in the court that seek power, like the demoness you've seen in the garden today." At that point, Nobuko indicated with her head the window they had just been looking through.

Placing her cup on the table, she looked the young woman in the eye. Her voice was grave as she spoke, "I must warn you. You'll have to face many like her when you're in this castle, for your lord is the target of the single ladies of the court."

"I see." To say that she did not like what she heard would not be enough to express her irritation. 'So, that demoness is after Inuyasha, huh? And others as well because he's Lord Sesshoumaru's heir. Lord Sesshoumaru ...' She could still feel the coldness of his eyes and the feeling of danger that came with his presence. She held her cup closer to her chest as if to chase away the shuddery sensation the memory of the demon lord awoke in her. "I've seen his brother on our way here. I must confess his presence chilled me to the bone." As the old priestess chuckled at her impression of the demon lord, Kagome voiced her confusion about the story she had just heard. "I don't understand one thing, though. If Lord Sesshoumaru disliked Inuyasha enough to even try to kill him, how did they become allies? What happened?"

"That's another story someone else can tell you better than I can, and luckily, I'll take you to meet her today, but before that ..." Taking her half-empty tea cup, Nobuko called out to someone whose small shadow Kagome just realized was visible through the shoji door. "Haven't I told you that eavesdropping is a bad habit, young lady?"

The door slid open to reveal a young girl of about fifteen in priestess clothes. The girl rushed to Lady Nobuko's side, and falling to her knees, she bowed deeply to the old woman. "Oh, please forgive me, sensei! I didn't mean to eavesdrop! I came here looking for Lord Inuyasha and I heard you talking. I was going to reveal myself, I swear!"

Chuckling, Lady Nobuko gestured the girl to sit up with a small wave of her hand. "I could have believed that if I didn't know you better, Emi. I'll forgive you child, again. But, do not fool yourself into thinking you can get away with it every time, for this is the last time I let it slide."

"Oh, thank you, sensei! I promise it won't happen again!" Giving the old woman a huge smile, the girl turned to look at Kagome, who had been watching the scene with amusement. "Are you the lady Lord Inuyasha brought here?" she asked.

Kagome smiled at the excitement in the girl's voice before nodding in response. "Yes, I am."

"Oh, my!" Clapping her hands in front of her chest, the girl slightly leaned toward the young woman, her smile getting even wider if that was possible. "You are indeed as beautiful as they told!"

Not paying any mind to the deep blush that covered the young woman's face or the disapproving look her sensei sent her way, the girl continued her chattering in an impossibly fast pace. "I was so excited to hear that the general came back victorious from his mission. Of course, I didn't have any doubts that he would, but this time it was very important for him. Besides, I wanted to know if he had been discovered. It was my idea, you know? When he so desperately wanted to get into that castle without being noticed, I suggested him concealing his appearance and aura! Well, my Lady Nobuko here and master Totosai were the ones that actually prepared the concealment charm, but I was the one who came up with the idea! Actually, I got the inspiration from someone who's good at concealing his appearance, which reminds me... did you happen to see a demon boy with red hair while you were being held in that castle?"

Slightly disoriented from the amount of information the girl bombarded her with in mere seconds, Kagome needed a few moments to grasp what she had just been asked. "A demon boy?" Her eyes widened as the vision of the young demon she had caught looking at her several times popped into her mind. 'Can it be?' "Does he have green eyes and a bushy tail by any chance?" she asked.

"Yes!" Overcame with excitement, the girl latched onto the skirt of Kagome's kimono as she leaned in closer to her face as if to hear her better. "So, you did see him!"

Looking at that pretty face lightened with childish joy, Kagome felt reluctant to say more, but it had to be done. "Unfortunately, yes. He was caught lurking in the castle grounds the day Inuyasha came for me."

"Oh, that stupid, stupid boy! I told him it was dangerous! I warned him not to go, but did he listen?! No!"

"Who is that boy?" asked Kagome.

Blushing, Emi lowered her eyes to look at her hands resting in her lap. "H-he's no one, just a friend — a very stupid, stubborn friend."

Judging by the girl's reddened face, Kagome could see that whatever relationship she had with the boy, it was more than friendship — at least for the girl.

"Now, now, don't worry about our young friend," soothed Nobuko. "I'm sure he'll be fine until we find a way to rescue him. In fact, I'm sure the lords are already planning a way to rescue the demons that were captured in the last few weeks." The old woman gave the saddened girl an encouraging smile before getting up. "Let us not brood about the things we cannot change. Besides, I believe Lady Kagome is being waited by the lady of the house."

Nodding, Kagome stood up to follow the priestess out the door, with the now downhearted girl on her heels.

* * *

After a long walk down the stairs, through several halls and a never ending pathway around the castle, they reached a secluded part of the gardens. There, in the distance, Kagome could see a woman sitting under the shade of a large magnolia tree. As they got closer to the tree, she saw that the woman looked young and exceptionally beautiful. The moment they reached her side, the lady stood up to welcome her visitors.

"Lady Nobuko, I was starting to think you would never never come!" she exclaimed.

After bowing in respect to the lady of the house, Nobuko gestured Kagome to come forth. "Please excuse us for our late arrival, Lady Rin. I've brought you Lady Kagome as I promised."

Feeling welcome under the soft smile the lady gave her, Kagome bowed to the young woman as well. "I'm honored that you wanted to see me, my lady."

To her surprise, the woman hurried to her side and linked her arm with Kagome's, gently forcing her to stand up. "Please, there is no need for such formality." Guiding her to sit on the blanket draped under the shade of the large tree, she took her place next to her guest. "I'm so happy to meet you. I hope your stay here is comfortable enough for you. Is everything to your liking?"

"Oh, yes!" replied Kagome. "Everything's just perfect. Lady Nobuko is being very helpful with anything I might need."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"I have to ask for your permission to leave, my lady. As always, my little friend here and I have things to attend to," Lady Nobuko interrupted.

"Of course! You're welcome to leave if you want to. I'm sure Lady Kagome will be perfectly fine with me."

"Thank you, my lady." After bowing to the lady of the house for the last time, the old woman turned to Kagome. "I'll be back to escort you to your quarters in a few hours." Seeing her nod in response, the old woman left the shade of the tree, followed closely by her young apprentice.

After watching the two walk away, Kagome turned to face her current company. Encouraged by the warm smile the woman gave her, she decided to try her chance at getting some answers. "Lady Rin, can I ask you something?"

"Only if you call me Rin."

Kagome couldn't help but smile at the sincerity of the young lady. "Rin." As Rin smiled back and nodded in approval, she proceeded to ask her question. "Lady Nobuko called you the lady of the house. Does that mean you're Lord Sesshoumaru's wife?"

"Wife? You can say that, I guess." At the confused look she got from her guest, Rin tried to elaborate, "I'm his mate."

"Mate? What is a mate?"

"Demons do not marry," explained the lady. "They mate, which is actually a stronger bond than marriage."

"How come?"

"There is no such thing as a divorce between mates. When demons mate, it lasts until one of the mates is dead."

"I see, but ..."

"But?"

"But, you are human."

Rin looked confused as her obvious race was pointed out by her guest. "Indeed, I am."

Seeing that she could not convey the source of her confusion, Kagome tried to explain her train of thought. "I don't understand. Lady Nobuko told me a few things about Inuyasha and how his relationship has been with Lord Sesshoumaru. From what I heard, I would think he wouldn't mate a human."

At that, understanding dawned on Rin's face. She sighed softly before looking at the young woman in the eye. "People change. Look at how his relationship with his brother changed."

"How did it happen?"

"It didn't happen at once. It took years for him to accept his brother's existence. But when it came to their alliance in this war, it happened rather quickly when Inuyasha saved him from being subdued."

"He did?"

"Yes, and this act had been a turning point for both of them. You see, Sesshoumaru would ally with him if it was his life he saved, but that would be all. However, what Inuyasha did meant more than that. For such a proud demon lord like Sesshoumaru, being subdued, and by humans no less, is worse than death itself. The day Inuyasha saved him was the day they became brothers."

Before Kagome could ask anymore questions, they saw a few women coming in their way, their small chatter already audible from where the two women sat. Hearing her talk, she looked back at Rin.

"Pity, I was hoping to spend this afternoon alone with you, but it seems unlikely now," mumbled Rin. "I hope you don't mind if we have some more company."

"That's okay. Who are they?"

"Just some demonesses from the court."

"Oh."

When they arrived, the women greeted the lady of the house and her company before joining them. The elegant fabric of their kimonos rustled as they made themselves comfortable on the large blanket.

Glancing in Kagome's direction, one of the newcomers addressed Rin, "My Lady Rin, will you introduce this lovely young woman?"

Looking at the woman, Rin gave her a smile, which Kagome thought to be a reluctant one. "Of course. This is Lady Kagome."

Not waiting the lady of the house to finish, a rather young looking demoness exclaimed excitedly, "I know who she is! She's the one Lord Inuyasha brought back a few days ago."

Hearing that, the ladies looked at Kagome in surprise. After a few seconds, which felt to the blushing woman like hours, a dark-haired demoness spoke, "It is strange, indeed, that the dog prince would have another woman after so many years."

At that, another jumped. "Yes! I've heard he did not have a woman since he lost his mate."

That brought Kagome out of her embarrassment. "M-mate?"

"Yes," answered the demoness. "Didn't you know he had a mate before? None of us met her, but we hear that he had been devastated when he lost her."

'Mate?' The word rang in her ears mercilessly as she tried to clear her head from the dizziness that suddenly came over her. 'She had been not only his lover, but also his mate.' She could still hear the women talking from the back of her mind.

"My poor lord, I can only guess the pain of losing one's mate," said one demoness.

Sensing her discomfort, Rin tried to change the subject. "What about your mates, ladies? I hear you'll be parting with them soon."

The dark-haired demoness was the one that took it upon herself to carry on the conversation. "Oh, you must be talking about the upcoming mission. I hear that a large group will be heading out this time and that Lord Inuyasha will be leading them."

After each and every one of the ladies expressed their displeasure for having to part with their mates for a long time, the unplanned tea party went on with the latest gossip about those that were not present among the current company.

* * *

When Kagome finally reached the room she was staying in with Inuyasha, she was surprised to see that he was already back. He was standing by a large table and seemed to be quite busy. Maps were all over the place. When she entered, he gave her a glance and a little 'hello' before turning back to his notes.

Feeling slightly dejected by his unenthusiastic greeting, she walked over to the table and tried to get his attention. "I met Lady Rin today."

He nodded his understanding without looking at her.

"She was very kind to me." Kagome traced her finger on one of the maps. When he didn't talk, she tried again. "I wouldn't mind spending more time with her."

He didn't say anything back or spare a glance at her. She walked around the table to stand next to him. "Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?" he replied distractedly.

"I've been hearing things today."

"Things? What kind of things?"

"Is it true that you will be going soon?"

He looked at her for a second, his face reflecting his confusion. "Oh, that." Then, he looked back to the maps. "Yeah, we're leaving the day after tomorrow."

"What about me?"

"You?"

It finally got on her nerves that he was acting like she was a five-year-old asking stupid questions and not giving her his full attention. Her agitation was apparent in her voice when she said, "Yes, me. Will you take me with you or what?"

That got his attention. As he looked at her, his face reflected his disbelief. "Keh! There's no way you're coming with me, wench. You'll stay where you're safe, which is inside the walls of this castle."

"When will you be back?" Seeing that he turned back to his precious maps and notes, she had to force herself not to grip his ears and make him look at her in the face.

"Well, if nothing goes wrong, we should be back in a week."

"A week?!"

"Yes, a week or more." He turned to face her and raised her head to look at him in the eyes with his finger under her chin. "Now, listen to me carefully. When I'm gone, I want you to stay close to Rin and the old hag. Kirara will stay with you day and night. You're not to wander out of this room alone. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Good girl." He caressed her cheek with his knuckles before leaning his head down. She couldn't breathe as he looked at her eyes. His hot breath fanned over her lips, which were rapidly drying in anticipation of his lips on hers. As her heart threatened to jump out of its cage, his eyes softened, and he smiled before claiming her lips in a tender kiss.

The way he made her feel ... How did he manage to melt all her anger and leave her so defenseless with a simple touch? 'Who cares?' She chased away all the stray thoughts that tried to form in her mind. Right now, all she wanted to do was feel. She moaned into his mouth as he licked her upper lip so softly, so sensuously. Not wasting his chance, his tongue delved into her awaiting cavern, sending the remnants of her mind whirling away.

"My lord?" They both jumped hearing the old woman's voice outside of their door.

"Come in, old hag." Grumbling under his breath about nosey old woman that always found the worst time to interrupt, he went back to his notes, leaving Kagome no choice but to deal with the priestess.

Smiling, Lady Nobuko walked in, carrying a large cup that Kagome immediately recognized to be the potion she made her drink day and night since she came here. "Drink this, child."

"Do I have to? I feel perfectly fine. I don't think I need it anymore."

"We cannot be sure," countered the old woman. "Better be safe than sorry."

"Honestly, I don't think it is necessary. Besides, it tastes awful."

"Please, child, drink it. I insist."

"But ..."

"Will you just drink it already?!"

She gasped when she heard Inuyasha shout at her out of nowhere. Why was he so irritated all of a sudden? He might be concerned for her health but he did not need to be so rude about it. Besides, she was perfectly fine, wasn't she? Humphing with irritation, she snatched the cup and drank the foul tasting liquid in one big gulp.

After the old woman left, Kagome watched him work from her place on the bed, still feeling irritated by his outburst. Soon, she started to feel her eyes droop, and the last thing she saw before sleep took her was the pensive look he sent her way.

* * *

When Kagome woke up the next morning, she found herself all alone in the large bed. Seeing the other half of the bed still untouched, she realized that Inuyasha had probably not slept at all last night. She looked over to the desk he had been working at before she slept, only to see that the maps were not there anymore and neither was he.

After sitting in the room doing nothing all morning, the young woman was delighted when Nobuko suggested a walk through the grounds in the afternoon. As expected, she accepted wholeheartedly.

When they were finally outside, she was surprised at the scene that met her eyes. Unlike before, the grounds were full of demons and priestesses apparently practicing their skills for the upcoming mission. As they walked among large groups of people sweating under the sun, her eyes fell on a particular group caught up in the heat of their pseudo-battle.

There he was, his naked torso glistening with sweat and his long silver hair dancing in the wind as he jumped from one place to another to avoid the arrows sent in his way. "Why are they shooting at him?"

"He's testing his speed. As you know, he's fighting against priestesses as well as ordinary soldiers. Those with purifying arrows are the only ones that are dangerous to him. He needs to avoid them at all cost."

"I see." Kagome saw his ears flick toward her and she gasped as one arrow passed dangerously close to his waist. He looked at her over his shoulder, his face adorning a smirk as if mocking her for her unnecessary fear. Then, he winked at her and she blushed.

She was saved from her embarrassment caused by such a simple gesture from him by the old woman's voice. "Do you want to try it?"

"Try? Try what?"

Her eyes widened as she saw Nobuko raise her hands, which were currently holding a bow and an arrow. Shaking her head vehemently, Kagome immediately refused the offer. "Oh, no! I couldn't possibly."

She was cut short by his voice shouting in her direction. "Keh! Keep her away from those bows, old hag." She turned just in time to see him bend his head slightly to one side before continuing with a little smirk on his face. "We wouldn't want her to shoot her own foot, now would we?"

"What?! Why you ..." Grumbling in anger, she snatched the bow and arrow from Lady Nobuko's hands and prepared to send the arrow in his direction. Unfortunately, looking at him standing there tall and proud, his eyes shining with amusement instead of fear, she felt ashamed of her overreaction and lowered the bow.

Just as she was about to give the weapons back, the demoness from before came to stand next to Inuyasha. Putting her hand on his shoulder, she leaned toward his face before cooing, "My dear lord, isn't it demeaning for our weapons to let them be held by such incapable hands?"

Inuyasha glanced at the woman before fixing his eyes again on Kagome. This was the very first time she wanted to wipe that smirk off his face by force.

Then, he spoke, "I believe it is."

And, she shot.

She was so enraged that, without thinking, she raised the bow and let the arrow fly in their direction. The demoness jumped away, while Inuyasha did not even move a muscle. The arrow hit a tree behind them and sent a blinding wave of light through the garden, leaving everyone in awe. Hearing the demoness swear, she looked at her only to see the sleeve on the arm that had been draped over Inuyasha's shoulder was burned to ashes.

Kagome looked at the half-demon lord when she heard him chuckle. Although his face seemed as if he was having mild fun, his eyes told a different story.

Was that pride that made them shine so brightly?

"That was quite impressing." Nobuko's excited voice brought her back from her trance.

"You think so?"

"Child, I don't recall seeing such a powerful shot before, and believe me when I say I have seen a lot in the long years I lived."

Kagome blushed deeply, embarrassed for being praised by such an experienced priestess. However, if she had to be honest, she had no idea how she managed to light that arrow like she did. 'It wouldn't be bad if I knew, though, especially if I'll be stuck in this world in the middle of a war.'

As if reading her mind, the old woman asked her if she wanted to learn how to use her powers.

"Really? Can I learn? Will you teach me?"

Chuckling at her enthusiasm, the priestess nodded her head. "We can start the day after tomorrow if you really want to learn. Once the group leaves on their mission, I believe I will have much time and opportunity to spare for your training."

"That would be wonderful!" Overcome with joy, she couldn't stop herself from hugging the old woman, causing her to laugh aloud at her childish behavior. 'Besides, if I am to be compared to some woman, I am going to come out the winner.' No matter how agitated she had been by Inuyasha's belittling attitude a few minutes ago, she couldn't get that look in his eyes out of her head. She decided she wanted to see it more often.

Kagome came out of her musings at the feeling of a large hand on her upper arm. Looking up, she saw the object of her thoughts standing right in front of her. Not paying any mind to her confused look, he turned her in the direction of the main building by his grip on her arm before addressing the old woman. "Old hag, take her back to my quarters before she has another lucky shot and accidentally kills one of my troops."

'Why, you little ...' Snatching her arm back in anger, she stormed into the building, the old lady on her heels.

* * *

Kagome entered the room and started pacing back and forth in anger. "That jerk!" After a few minutes, she tried sitting down in hopes of calming her nerves, but it was no use. Standing up, she continued pacing the room, strings of curses flying in her head as she did.

Not long after she reached the room, Inuyasha appeared at the door, his haori draped over his one shoulder, his white shirt open, his soaking wet hair indicating that he had just taken a bath.

He came to stand in front of her smaller form, throwing his haori to one side and letting his shirt fall off his shoulders on his way.

"That was quite a show you put on out there."

'Oh, God.' She couldn't believe how turned on she was by the mere sight of him. Turning her back to him to keep at least some of her sanity intact, she grumbled, "Yeah, sure, you clearly expressed how impressed you were."

Chuckling, he held her arm and turned her to face him. "No, I didn't. I don't think you would appreciate it if I expressed how impressed I was in front of an audience. That's why I sent you up here."

"I don't understand."

Holding her obi, he cut it in one smooth move of his claws. "I thought it was sexy." He pushed her kimono off her shoulders. "Would you like it if I jumped on you right there?" With that, he captured her lips in a searing kiss. Still slightly agitated with him for making fun of her in the gardens, she hit his foot with the heel of her own foot. He didn't even flinch. Instead, he took hold of her inner yukata and pushed it off her shoulders. She latched onto his neck when he lifted her naked body bridal style and carried her to the futon.

**~author's cut~**

Supporting most of his weight with his elbows, Inuyasha let his body lie over hers and buried his nose into the crook of her neck. After his breathing finally returned to normal, he whispered, "Gods, I missed you so much."

"M-missed me?" 'How could he have missed me? We haven't been apart for more than a few hours today, unless ...' Her breath hitched in her throat as she realized that he was talking about their love making, which they had never done before. 'He's not talking to me.' A few long seconds passed before she was able to talk. When she did, the coldness in her voice chilled even her own body. "I'm not your lost mate, Inuyasha. I hope you are aware of that."

He raised his head from her neck to look at her face. Before her eyes, the emotions swirling in his eyes were gone in a second, leaving them empty and cold. He exhaled deeply, and shaking his head, he slowly got off of her. He did not look at her while he got dressed and he didn't say anything before he left the room.

The moment he was out the door, she could not hold the tears that welled up in her eyes anymore. Burying her face in the pillows, she cried for her stupidity for giving herself for the first time to a man, only to find out that he had been thinking of another woman the whole time. Although she was angry at herself for being so weak and at him for using her like that, she couldn't bring herself to hate him for what he did or deny the fact that she would do it again if he asked her to.

End of Chapter 8


	9. Look Inside

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 9: Look Inside**

As the sky became a pinkish hue with the first rays of the sun, Kagome looked over to the crowded group of demons gathered in the grounds that looked to the front gates of the castle. From where she stood on the steps leading to the entrance of the main building, she could see him in the distance, talking to Lord Sesshoumaru. She sighed, folding her arms in front of her chest to find some sort of warmth against the chilly morning air. This was the first time she saw him since he had left her in the room without a word. 'It was only yesterday evening, wasn't it? Not even a day passed. Then why does it feel like it has been longer?'

She still felt chagrined because of what happened after their love-making. As if it wasn't enough that he had offended her by what he had said and by leaving her like he had, he had not come back all night. 'Not even an apology.' However, now that he was leaving for battle, she felt the need to say goodbye, to feel him close for one last time before he was gone. After all, no amount of anger was enough to blind her to the fact that he might not be coming back in the end.

Although Kagome thought about it, she did not have the courage to go to him. Besides, she still had enough dignity left from her broken pride to keep her rooted in her spot. 'I'll be nice to him if he comes to me, but I won't go to him.' That did not seem to be likely, though. He still looked as pissed as he did when he left the room.

She saw him leave his brother's side to stand next to the now opened castle gates. At his signal, the group started to march out of the castle grounds. He didn't even look in her direction as he waited for his troops to leave the castle. Once the final demon was out of the gates, he turned to leave as well. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw him hesitate. 'Will he?' The small hope that sprouted in her chest did not live long though, for he shook his head and left without a single look at her.

* * *

Sango opened her eyes to the first rays of the sun falling on her eyes through the open window. She stretched, feeling every inch of her muscles complain at the strain her act caused. Well, that was to be expected. She had been traveling for the last few days. First, she went to the village as her husband asked her to do, and then the journey back to the castle … All those efforts came out to be for nothing in the end. At least she had a chance to see her children. She was relieved when she found that they were all doing well, safe in the protected village. Now, all she needed was a long, hot bath. She hadn't had one since she arrived at the castle late last night.

Sitting up, she looked to her side to see the other half of the bed untouched. 'He's not back yet.' They both left the castle almost at the same time. As she headed for their village, he was supposed to check on the villages that surrounded the castle to strengthen their barriers. Sighing, Sango got up to change her clothes so that she could leave the room in favor of the common bathroom that was located on the back of the building. Just as she fastened her hair in a high ponytail, the door slid open to reveal an exhausted looking monk.

"Miroku! You're back!"

"Yes, my love." Walking toward her with long strides, he hugged his wife with as much strength as he had left after his long journey.

When she raised her head to smile at the handsome face she had missed too much for her own good, Miroku captured her lips in a heated kiss. As she was left breathless in his embrace and so warm with passion, he couldn't stop himself. His hand trailed down to the one place that never ceased to fascinate him even after years of marriage.

"Stop it, you hentai!" she cried out.

He chuckled as she playfully pushed him away. Deciding that he had his fun for the moment, he sat on the futon, his back supported by the wall behind him. "So, what happened in the village?"

"Nothing out of ordinary." She shrugged her shoulders as she proceeded to change her clothes, not minding the lust-filled look he was giving her. "She performed the usual ritual for the barrier, and then, she spent some time praying in front of the sacred tree."

"Hmm." Placing his elbow on his raised knee, the tired monk started scratching his unshaven chin, his eyes close in deep concentration.

* * *

Kagome took a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to empty her mind as she did her lungs. It had been three days since Inuyasha had left, and for three days, she had been training under Lady Nobuko's supervision. 'You must know yourself before you know your powers,' she had said. Then, the priestess had told her that meditation was necessary to reach inside and take out what she found there. 'You must empty your mind and look inside. The key to unlock your potential is to be at peace with yourself.' If only that was as easy as it was said.

At first, she had been so angry at him and at herself that whenever she tried to meditate, she found herself thinking about what had happened and which harsh words she would say to him to convey her feelings when he came back — _if_ he came back. That was another thought that struck her too often for her comfort. 'What if something happens to him and he never comes back?' She shook her head, willing the unwelcome thoughts out of her mind. 'Anger, focus on your anger. That one's easier to deal with.'

Unfortunately, her anger was no longer enough to keep her thoughts occupied. She had much time to think over the last three days, and as time passed, she found her anger subsiding, to be replaced by reason. As she cooled down, she started questioning her right to blame him after everything she had witnessed and had been told since she came to this world.

After the last time he talked to her, the time when he treated her as if she was this Kikyo woman, Kagome started thinking about what Lady Keiko told her about Inuyasha's intentions. She had warned her that he would want to bring his lover back, endangering her life in the process. When she thought about it, she couldn't help but wonder: If he wanted to use her to bring his lover back, wouldn't he have done it already? How could she know that Keiko had been telling the truth? None of the other things she had said proved to be true so far. He didn't seem to be cruel and merciless, neither had she seen even one priestess that was being treated like a whore in this place.

Maybe Keiko had only been trying to keep her from going to him. But, why would she do that? Perhaps she knew Inuyasha would want her and she wanted to keep her there so that they would have a chance to capture him? When she thought about it, it sounded quite plausible. After all, despite accusing Inuyasha of being merciless, humans were the ones that treated her like a hostage, weren't they? On the other hand, the big bad general Inuyasha was not keeping her by force as the humans had, was he? But then again, she never wanted to leave when she was with him.

"Try to clear your head, child. I can see from the strain on your face that you have a lot on your mind."

Upon hearing Lady Nobuko's warning, Kagome opened her eyes to see the old woman still sitting across from her with her legs crossed comfortable, her hands lying on her knees and her face relaxed in deep meditation. The priestess surely could come in and out of meditation quickly. How did she manage to do that? 'Must have to do with years of experience.'

Kagome closed her eyes again and took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then another… and another.

What was it about his constantly changing attitude toward her? One minute he was playful and affectionate, and in the next, he would become cold and distant. The more she thought about it, the more she came to realize that these changes happened whenever she mentioned _her_. It could be only that he got offended and sad whenever someone talked about her. If he loved her as much as they said he did, it was normal that the wound in his heart was still bleeding.

And then, there was the similarity between herself and his mate. Perhaps he wanted her because she looked like the one he had lost, but that didn't necessarily mean he didn't like her as Kagome, did it? 'But, he called to her after he slept with me.' Could that be a temporary lapse of judgment? After all, that woman had been his mate, and if what people had been saying was true, he hadn't had another woman since he lost her. Could it be that he was only reminded of her because of the act? And maybe he got offended because she so rudely pointed out his momentary mistake? Maybe, he was only angry with her because she insisted on thinking that he was mistaking her for another woman.

"Perhaps it will be better if we stop for today."

Kagome could hear the irritation in the priestess' voice as she spoke. She opened her eyes to see that, as she expected, the old woman was giving her a hard stare.

"I'm sorry. I just can't clean my mind today."

"I know. Why don't you think through whatever is bugging you for the remainder of the day? However, tomorrow, I expect you to at least keep your head clear."

"Okay." Smiling to the woman, Kagome stood up slowly, the muscles in her legs complaining about being held in the same position for hours. Turning back, she headed out of the small shrine and toward her room, followed by a yawning Kirara on her heels.

* * *

"Did you hear the news, Miroku?"

His staff jingled as he passed it from his right hand to his left, and the monk nodded his head in response. "Yes. The party that set out from here to the east was ambushed. If I'm not wrong, the group consisted of a battalion of soldiers escorting all the demons that were captured in the last few weeks. I hear that all of them escaped."

"That's correct, indeed. Unfortunately, that is not what worries me, Miroku."

Surprised, he sent the priestess a questioning look as she sighed tiredly, her veil slightly ruffling in the soft breeze her breath caused.

"From what I hear, I understand that Inuyasha was leading the attackers."

He did not understand what was so troubling about that. After all, Inuyasha was the one that led more than half of the attacks since the beginning of this war. "And?"

"And, he still had his necklace on."

"Oh." Now that made sense. She was hoping that he wouldn't have it, wasn't she?

"The girl did not do as I expected," continued Keiko. "I hoped that she would heed my words and do us all a favor by removing those accursed beads from his neck. Do you know what this means for us?"

"That we will have to continue to fight as we have been doing until now?"

She chuckled at his sarcastic reply, before her voice turned serious again. "No. We need to get the girl out of there."

His eyes widened as he heard that. "What?" Was she finally losing it?

"You heard me. She will be the key to his fall as long as we have her with us."

"And how do you expect we do that? Do you think that he would keep her somewhere that we can reach?"

"I'm perfectly aware of that. I'm sure he's keeping her in the western castle."

He couldn't believe his ears. If she knew that, then she really was suggesting that they get into that castle, which was the equivalent of suicide. "That's what I'm talking about. We can't just go there and get the girl out from under his nose."

"We need to try!"

As her voice increased in volume with the rise in her anger, he couldn't keep his own voice down any longer. "I don't get it! You're behaving as if capturing him is our sole purpose! Besides, I don't believe that we have a right to use the girl as bait."

Quickly composing herself, Keiko looked away from him. "Do I need to remind you that he was the one that captured our priestesses, effectively stopping us from subduing demons, as well as freeing those that we captured? Never forget that if he was not around, this war would have been over years ago."

Unfortunately, he did not have anything to say in reply to that. So, he opted to stand there, his stance rigid and his eyes reflecting his anger.

"If you don't have any other objections, we will be heading west to look for a chance to get the girl back." Seeing the expression on his face, she sighed before continuing in a soft voice, "Miroku, he was your friend. Wouldn't you feel better if you did not have to fight against him?"

"I never fought against him, and you know that."

"It doesn't mean that you won't have to. Don't you want this war to be over? To see these lands safe for the future of your children? We have to do this."

Knowing that she had a point and having nothing to say that would change her mind, he decided to go with her, thinking that he could at least make sure of the girl's safety.

* * *

'Empty your mind.'

It had become her mantra for the last week since they had started her training. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, she hadn't been able to stop the thoughts of him from invading her mind. It was irritating her to no end that she couldn't stop thinking about what he did, what he felt and what she meant to him. Over the last week, she confessed to herself that she wanted him to see her for her, and furthermore, to realize that she might be as good as or even better than _her_. That was why she desperately wanted to tap into her powers before he came back, but it did not seem likely that she would manage to do so.

'Know yourself.'

That was it! How could she solve his feelings toward her, when she did not know her own in the first place? She had to understand her emotions first. Besides, no matter how much she thought about it, she wouldn't be able to know his feelings unless he chose to let them be known.

Resolved, Kagome decided to puzzle out how she felt about him. Now, how was she going to do that?

'Look inside.'

Breathing deeply, she turned her thoughts toward herself, her head clear of all stray thoughts for the first time in what seemed to be a very long week. Her sole purpose was to get in touch with her emotions.

She sighed as warmth spread through her body from her heart. She embraced it, letting it take over her whole being. As she surrendered to that strong sensation, she could feel it grow into something wonderful. No, not just feel, she could almost see it behind her closed eyelids. 'So warm, so bright … so … so … powerful.'

As the feeling intensified, Kagome could visualize it in the form of small balls of light in almost every color dancing in her mind. They twirled and twirled, in each turn getting closer to each other. And then, they fused to become a blinding orb of light, just like the sun. No, not one, there were two of them. She gasped as the twin orbs of sun she knew so well materialized in her mind, the warmth radiating from the affections swirling in them seeping into every inch of her being.

'Oh, God, I…'

She opened her eyes, as she had finally found what she had been looking for. Her eyes looked through the old priestess' meditating form, fixed at something unseen to anyone but herself. She took in a broken breath, only to let it go, accompanied by a whisper falling out of her lips …

"I love him."

End of Chapter 9


	10. Awakening

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Warning:** The original version of this chapter contains a scene which I'm not sure whether to call a lime or lemon (which is cut in this version). If you want to read the complete chapter, please use the following link (do not forget to leave out the spaces):

http :// www . mediaminer . org / fanfic / view_st . php / 157750

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 10: Awakening**

Fifteen days … he said it could take more than a week, but honestly, Kagome wasn't expecting it to take this long.

'It has been fifteen days since he left.'

As the sun set over the sea, it became harder to see outside. She got up from her place in front of the window and slowly walked over to the bed. She felt tired, but as it had been for the last three nights, she did not expect sleep to come to her. Even the potion Lady Nobuko so adamantly made her drink every night did not help her sleep anymore. She was getting even more anxious by the minute. Why was it taking this long? Did something go wrong? Was he okay? Was he even alive?

She missed him immensely during his absence. It was astonishing how time changed things before you could sense it. Before he left, she had been so angry. Now, all she wanted was to feel his presence close.

She was also anxious to let him know that she had been able to tap into her powers while he was away. Well, actually, that was quite a new development but a development nonetheless. Once she had understood her feelings toward him, she had found it easier to clear her head, for she had felt at peace. The rest had been rather easy. Now, she was even able to sense the demonic auras around her. However, it was his aura she wondered about. What would it feel like?

She was startled when the door was suddenly opened. She looked up to see the young priestess, Emi, panting by the door. The poor girl gulped a few times before her face broke into a huge smile.

"They're back!" she exclaimed.

"What?" asked Kagome, confused.

"The soldiers! They're back! I heard the guards shouting about it!"

'Inuyasha! He's back!' Her eyes widened in realization, as a smile that rivaled the young girl's formed on her face. Without wasting another second, Kagome jumped to her feet and ran out the door after the girl.

When they passed the entrance of the main building and reached the steps that led to it, the woman was overwhelmed by the power of the demonic auras that rapidly approached from the gates. 'Gods, they are so powerful.' Although she had been in the castle since she started sensing auras, she never had been close to a crowd of demons. Besides, the demons that left with Inuyasha were probably the strongest ones around, with the exception of Lord Sesshoumaru. He never left the castle, but she didn't even see him from afar in the last few days.

As Kagome watched, the demons filled the garden, cheered loudly by the ones that were left in the castle. She could see that there were more demons than the group that had left, which meant that the mission had been successful and they rescued the ones that had been captured.

Then, she saw him. Her heart jumped to her throat as she caught his eyes for a second. She took a step toward him, all the while wishing him to give her a sign, just one sign, so that she could find the courage to run to his arms like she wanted to do. Her heart fell to her stomach when he turned his eyes away from her.

He slowly made his way toward the main building, surrounded by several demons and demonesses asking him questions and congratulating him for his victory. As he approached where she stood by the door, she felt his aura caress hers. 'God, so much power.' It felt so warm but so cold at the same time. She could feel he was agitated. 'Why? Is he still angry with me?' Her question was answered when he passed by her without even a glance in her direction. She tried to push her disappointment away at his indifferent behavior toward her. It was obvious that she would have to be the one that made the first move if she wanted to tear down the wall that separated them.

* * *

Kagome had been waiting for hours in his room. One would think he would want to rest after a long journey. 'What's he still doing out there? Why didn't he show up already?' As she sat there on a cushion by the table, her hands pulling on the hem of her skirt nervously, she couldn't help but wonder if he was deliberately stalling just to avoid meeting her. 'Well, seeing the way he looked at me earlier, or rather, the way he did not look at me, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.'

Her pondering was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Her heart thundered in her chest as she looked up to see him standing by the door, his one hand forgotten on its frame. 'He looks exhausted.' As she watched soundlessly, his tired eyes looked up from the floor, where they had been fixed to the empty futon. His eyes widened, and he sniffed the air a few times before his head snapped in her direction. His gaze was fixed on her for a few seconds, making her even more anxious, before he finally spoke.

"Why are you still awake?" he asked.

Trying to disregard the coldness in his voice, she stood up slowly and gave him a small smile. Her hands, which were clasped behind her, nervously tugged on the ties of her obi as she whispered, "I've been waiting for you."

He sighed tiredly before turning his gaze away. "You shouldn't have."

"Inuyasha." Kagome didn't like the distance he was putting between them. She wanted to say or do something, anything that would bring him back. So, she took a step toward him but she recoiled when he stepped back, shaking his head.

"I have things to do. Don't wait up for me." With that, he turned his back to her and was gone in the blink of an eye.

Kagome rushed to the door only to see that he was already out of sight. Feeling dejected, now that he hadn't even given her a chance to clear things up between them, she sighed and closed the door. He made it clear that it was going to be hard for her to make up with him. With a loud humph, she turned back to go to bed. She was sorry for what happened, yes, but his attitude was starting to get on her nerves as well. Why was he being so impossible? She was at least trying, wasn't she? What about him? What right did he have to behave like that? After all, it wasn't only her fault that they came to this point, was it? It was him that ruined the after-glow of their love-making in the first place.

Stopping in the middle of the room, Kagome nodded her head in determination, her fists clenched at her sides. She was going to get him to talk to her. She was going to make it in one way or the other, even if she had to force him somehow.

* * *

Kagome hurried down the hall after Inuyasha. There was a feast tonight in celebration of the latest victory of the demon army. Earlier in the day, she had been informed that she would be serving Lord Inuyasha during the feast. She had been angry at first, irritated by the fact that she was treated like a servant. Then, she reminded herself that this was the feudal era, and in this time and space, serving a high ranked lord, let alone a prince, was actually an honor, even for a noble woman. Besides, this could be her chance to melt the ice between them.

She was even happy when she found out what she was supposed to wear to the feast. She was covered with several layers of the softest fabric she had ever touched in her life. The outer kimono was the most elegant cloth she had ever seen. It was a rich green with red flowers on its skirts and on the hem of its arms. Her red obi was also of the finest silk. She let her hair be pulled up in an elegant bun, thinking that it would be more comfortable while performing her duties. She was delighted to see her normally blue eyes look as green as emeralds under the influence of her beautiful kimono.

Now, as she struggled to catch up with Lord Inuyasha, she wasn't happy about her clothes anymore. Being a modern woman, she was not used to wearing such constricting attire. It was true that she had been wearing traditional clothes since her second day in this world, but she never wore this many layers — not to mention that she never had to walk so fast in those clothes. She was having trouble keeping up with him, for her steps were as small as a child's. As for Inuyasha, he didn't seem to notice her trouble or maybe he just didn't care. So, she hastened her steps, but this time, she was risking falling flat on her face by stepping on her skirts. With an exasperated sigh, she decided to do what she needed to have done in the first place. She stopped, bent down and took a hold of her skirts. Then, she stood back up, hiking her skirts up with her, exposing her legs up to her lower thighs. Now she would be able to walk as fast as she liked. 'Hah! Take that, you stupid clothes!'

When they entered the great hall where the feast was held, she was momentarily blinded by all the lights and colors adorning the large room. The place was so big, decorated with low tables and lots of comfortable looking cushions placed along three walls of the room, forming a u-shape. It seemed the feast had already begun, because the room was full of nobles enjoying their meal served by their mates or personal concubines and watching the show the dancing girls performed in the middle of the room.

In the following seconds, all the dancers and the music stopped, and everybody except Lord Sesshoumaru got up to salute their prince and general. Inuyasha inclined his head, beckoning them to continue, but instead of turning back to their festivities, all the eyes remained fixed on Kagome. She was surprised to see the curious looks directed on her and did not understand why at first. However, after the angry look she received from Inuyasha, she realized that she was still holding her skirts, exposing an indecent amount of her legs. Upon this realization, she turned beet red and quickly let her skirts go. She ducked her head down under the insistent gaze of the obviously angry man before her and moved to follow him when he finally decided to take his place next to his brother at the head of the table.

Kagome sat on a cushion to his right and a step back like all the other women. He signed her to fill his cup with sake with his hand, his face never turning to her. While she checked out the other women for the right things to do, her eyes met Lady Rin's, who was serving her mate. The lady of the house gave her a small smile as she inclined her head slightly at the nervous woman, indicating that she was doing fine.

As she returned to her duties, she heard Lord Sesshoumaru speak.

"Pleasant evening, brother?"

"You can say that," muttered Inuyasha in response.

And that was it. Honestly, these two were brothers, weren't they? Obviously, neither of them liked to chat during their dinner.

After he was finished eating, Lord Sesshoumaru stood up, immediately followed by Rin. "I think it's time for us to leave."

Inuyasha made no move, except for the small nod he gave.

Apparently surprised, Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow at his brother. "You are staying?"

"Yes."

His eyebrow still raised, the mighty lord glanced at Kagome for a second before looking back at his brother. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Sighing, the lord turned to leave. "Do as you wish. Come, Rin." As they left the great hall, she saw some of the other demon lords leave with their mates. Right after their exit all the concubines stood up and left the hall as well. She looked at Inuyasha for a sign, but he didn't look at her or say anything, so she stayed where she was. Her eyes widened as she saw a new group enter the hall — a group of scarcely clothed young women.

While she tried to process what she was seeing, the men started signaling to the women, and every woman walked toward the man that summoned her. She watched with dread in her heart when the women sat on the men's laps and started serving them sake and fruits while ogling their breasts in the men's faces. Most of the men plunged their faces in the women's breasts and started fondling their other assets instead of taking the offered sake or fruit. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed Inuyasha signaling to someone. To her horror, a beautiful woman with long shapely legs started walking toward him, her big breasts bouncing in front of her with each step she took.

Now what? Was she supposed to just sit there and watch while he made out with some whore? Did he really expect her to bear such a scene? And more importantly, did he think he could touch another woman while she was alive? 'Oh, no. No, you won't!'

In the blink of an eye, Kagome grabbed a branch of grapes and sat herself unceremoniously on his lap. She smiled when his eyes widened and his mouth opened in a gasp. Without losing her advantage, she put a piece of grape in his still open mouth and placed a small kiss on the tip of his nose. It gave her immense satisfaction to see that she was capable of rendering him helpless with a small intimate jest as he did to her since the day they met. If it was possible, she was even more satisfied when she felt him jerk his hand to make the other woman go back to where she came from.

Her mission successfully completed, she gave him a heart stopping smile, and made a move to get off his lap. She found herself glued to her spot, however, with his arms suddenly around her waist. She gave him a curious look, but he just smirked at her and said nothing. Then, faster than she could understand what was happening, he made her straddle his lap, the inner layers of her outfit hiking up her thighs, her outer kimono being the only thing hiding her legs from view. While she was busy trying to decipher her new position, he buried his face into her neck and slowly licked his way up to her ear. "You don't think you can pull a stunt like that and get off that easily, do you?" he whispered in her ear, making her shiver with the soft waves of his hot breath on her sensitive skin.

Before she could catch her breath, his mouth was back on her neck, and his hand was moving up her thigh under her kimono. She was so aroused already; she wouldn't be able to move her legs or arms to try and get up or stop him even if she wanted to. 'Gods, how does he do that?! I should stop him. I should get up. There are people around. I should …' Her brain stopped when his fangs grazed an especially sensitive spot on her throat that she didn't knew existed, and he thrust his hips upwards slowly, letting her feel the large bulge in his pants. Unable to control her actions anymore, she gave a silent moan, making him smirk against her ear, giving her a new wave of shivers. Her breath hitched in her throat when she felt him tear her panties slowly with his deadly claws.

**~author's cut~**

Mortified with embarrassment, Kagome buried her face back in his neck and stayed like that while her tears dampened his clothes and naked skin."Why did you do that?" she whispered between silent hiccups.

Inuyasha didn't answer but hugged her with both arms, hiding her from view with his large sleeves. He must have regretted making her cry because he started growling soothingly while one of his hands caressed her hair. That was the most affectionate jest he had done since the night before he left, and she instantly felt better and stopped crying. He had made her experience one of the most degrading moments of her life, but oddly, she felt an unbelievable comfort in his embrace. It felt like it was the most natural thing in the world, like she was safe from everything and everybody else in the world.

Unfortunately, the moment lasted much shorter than she wished for because Inuyasha was called out by one of the troops. When he didn't make a move, he was told it was urgent.

"My lord, there is a fight outside. We need your help," said the soldier.

"Dammit! Can't you find someone else?"

"You're the only one around, my lord. Lord Sesshoumaru has already retired for the night."

Sighing and letting a string of curses fall out of his lips in the process, he placed her on her cushion like she was a little child with a solemn expression on his face. "Wait for me here," he commanded. Before she could utter a word, he was gone.

* * *

Daichi leaned back in his seat to have a better look at the woman that caught his eye the moment she entered the hall following Lord Inuyasha. At first he thought that she belonged to the general, seeing that she was serving him, so he kept his eyes away. After all, none of the demons in this castle, including himself, was stupid enough to mess with the fearsome heir of Lord Sesshoumaru. But when he realized what he was doing with her … No one would treat their mates or personal concubines in such a way in public, and surely the general knew that. The fact that he did it only showed that the girl was a common whore, just like the others in the room.

She'd been sitting alone for a while. Would it be so bad if he tried his chance? He would at least see if she would go along with it. He wasn't a prince himself, true, but he too was a noble lord and a powerful one at that. What whore would refuse him? Besides, he could see that he wasn't the only one that wanted her. From the lustful glances he had seen a few of the other demons sending her way, he could guess they were thinking about the same thing as well. He couldn't blame them. Which healthy demon with a sense of smell wouldn't want her after that scent she gave off in the general's lap? That scent — He could still smell it. He could also smell Lord Inuyasha on her, but that was to be expected if he had his way with her. And now, he was gone, leaving the girl up for grabs.

Not wanting to waste his chance, Daichi stood up and made his way toward the girl before any of the other demons could. She looked up at him when he stood next to her, a curious look in her eyes.

"Would you like to join me?" he asked.

"J-join you?" She looked confused at first. Then, as understanding dawned on her, she turned beet red. "Oh, t-thank you, but I'd rather not."

He did not know if she was playing coy or not, but he decided he liked that blush. "I insist."

"P-please." She turned her head to look at her lap. "I don't want to."

"I don't think you understand your position here, woman. You can't refuse a lord when you're asked something." With that, he reached to hold her chin so that he could make her look at him in the eyes.

He smelt it before he felt it, that metallic scent laced with the general's own wafted through his nose less than a second before the cold steel of the formidable great fang was lying in front of his neck, dangerously close to cutting his head off. He froze where he stood, his hand still extended toward the girl who looked quite frightened. From the corner of his eye, he could see the clawed hand holding the Tetsusaiga slightly trembling, his owner apparently having a hard time holding himself back from decapitating him. He could feel the anger radiating from the man behind him in waves. Then, he heard the general hiss in his ear loudly, making sure that every demon in the room could hear his words clearly.

"Touch her once, and you'll never touch a thing again."

'Shit!' Daichi swore in his head for his untimely audacity. Why didn't he think twice? Well, after the way the general treated her … But, he should have known better. He should have thought about this possibility when nobody else tried to make a move on her. He knew many others thought about doing the same thing, but he had been the only moron in the room that had the audacity to do it. It turned out that the girl belonged to the general after all. And, he was pissed. Now what?

Hoping against hope that it would work, he slowly retreated his hand back, as he bent his head in submission. He heard the general growl, followed by a gasp from the girl. When he felt the great fang nick his skin, the half-demon's name fell out of the girl's lips in a frightened whisper.

The next instant, Daichi found himself on the floor. He breathed in and out rapidly a few times to make sure that he was still alive. When he did, he gulped the lump in his throat loudly. For a moment there, he really thought that he was a goner. He looked up only to get a glimpse of the girl and the prince exiting of the hall in a blur.

* * *

Kagome struggled not to fall as his unyielding hold on her wrist forced her to catch up with him. Although she asked him to slow down, he paid her no mind. She had been so scared when that demon came to her, telling her that she had to serve him as well, and even more when Inuyasha showed up. She had actually felt his aura flare and seen his eyes flash red for an instant. He had showed such rage, causing his normally beautiful face to turn into something frightening. She had really thought he would kill that demon right in front of her eyes.

She didn't understand what Inuyasha was trying to do. It had been him who treated her like she was one of the whores in the room, and he was getting angry when others did the same. And now, he was treating her as if she was at fault. She didn't do a thing for God's sake!

Before Kagome knew it, they were in his room. Walking to stand in the middle of the room, she turned back to see him closing the door. She folded her arms in front of her chest, her face a mixture of anger and disbelief. He stood there for a second, his hand lingering on the closed door, his head bent down. Then, he turned around and slowly raised his head to look at her, his eyes full of ... remorse? Was he regretting the things he had done? And, if he was, did he expect her to disregard his behavior simply because he felt sorry for it? 'Oh no, not this time.' This time, he had gone too far.

He took a hesitant step toward her and opened his mouth to say something, only to close it back when no words came out. With an exclamation of 'Fuck,' he raised both of his hands to trail his fingers in his hair none too gently and then he started pacing back and forth. After a few turns, he abrubtly stopped in his strides and turned toward her, his hands falling back to his sides. She raised one eyebrow as if to say 'What?' He opened and closed his mouth a few times, and in the end, all that he was able to say was "Dammit!" Then, he whirled back and stormed out of the room.

Her mouth agape, she watched him disappear, almost breaking the door down as he closed it with too much force. 'What was that?!'

* * *

He watched from his place by the door with a little jealousy in his gut as the lords enjoyed the sake and fruit that filled the tables in abundance. No need to mention the women that jumped from one's lap to another's, letting their assets be exposed to hungry eyes and lecherous hands. Being a simple guard, he was always on duty during these feasts. Often times, he wished he was one of the lords so that he could enjoy the blessings of life after having an exciting battle far away from this castle, where he spent most of his days. He sighed dreamily as the image of himself being cheered by beautiful women, human and demon alike, while Lord Sesshoumaru congratulated him for his victory in the last mission he lead popped into his head. Now, who wouldn't want that?

He jumped as he was brought back from the dreamland by the rather sudden appearance of the one person in whose shoes he had been dreaming himself. Before he could salute the half-demon prince, he made his way to the head of the table, his long and fast strides a sign of his anger. He watched as the lord took his seat and started filling his cup with sake. He downed the liquid in one gulp and filled the cup again. The guard's eyes widened in horror as the lord repeated this ritual too many times to count, not even stopping to breathe. This was so unlike the general he knew. What was wrong with him? 'Is he trying to drown himself in sake?' After giving the few demons that tried to approach him a nasty look, the lord pushed his cup away with the back of his hand, only to continue drinking right from the bottle. 'Yes, he probably is.'

What could have made him so desperate to get drunk? Well, who knew? He was a lord, a general and a prince. His life probably had too many complications that a simple guard could not even dream about. Watching his beloved general break down in front of his eyes, being a simple guard suddenly seemed to be a good thing, after all.

* * *

Late at night, Kagome woke up hearing shouting voices from the hall. She slowly sat up in bed, trying to understand what was going on outside.

"My lord, please, calm down," pleaded Lady Nobuko's soft voice. Who was she talking to? And at this time of night?

"No! I'm done with waiting!" She gasped as she heard Inuyasha's voice. He sounded so angry...

"Please, my lord." That was Hiromi, the mind-reader.

"Please, what?! Don't you see?! This is killing me! Do something already!" bellowed Inuyasha.

What was wrong with him now? Surely, he hadn't been in the best of moods when he had left her in his room and stormed out, or more likely, run out of the room. But, she had never heard him shout like that before. It was like he had lost all control. She stood up and walked toward the door to hear them more clearly. Just as she took a few steps, she stopped, hearing Nobuko speak again.

"We've done what we can. We cast the spell on her. She's been drinking the potion for a long time now. The spell will take effect soon."

She felt dizziness come over her. It was obvious they were talking about her. She was the only one they made drink that potion, wasn't she? 'B-but, a s-spell? They cast a spell on me?! What kind of spell?!' Before she could ponder more, she heard Inuyasha shout once again.

"That's what you said before I left! Tell me when!"

"Soon. Just a little more patience, my lord," begged Hiromi.

"Patience? I have no patience left!" he yelled. "I want my mate back! This one's just a shell of her! Just looking at her drives me crazy!"

'... mate ... a shell of her ...' As his last words swirled in her head, she realized what kind of spell they were talking about. Not being able to stand anymore, she fell to her knees, her unseeing eyes fixed at the door. They were trying to bring Kikyo back.

'God, oh, God.' Lady Keiko had been right from the beginning, after all. 'God, how could I be so blind?' Everybody had warned her about him, hadn't they? 'Why didn't I listen to them?' She could have asked. Rin would have told her, wouldn't she? But, she hadn't. She hadn't asked a thing of anyone since she had come here. Why? She knew why. Because, she was afraid to hear the same things again. She didn't want to believe. After all those years she had spent in confusion, she finally found something she knew for sure. Yes, there had been questions in her mind, but her heart knew. Her heart knew from the moment she had met him that she loved him. Now, she was paying for her ignorance.

Kagome jumped as the door opened with a loud cracking noise. Before she could even gasp, she found herself being forced to stand by two large hands on her upper arms. His eyes were tinted with red as the tips of his claws stung to her arms.

"Who are you!"

She could smell the alcohol in his breath as he shouted in her face. "You're hurting me!"

"Hurting?" He chuckled darkly, sending tremors up and down her spine. Her knees buckled in fear when he hissed in a venomous voice, his eyes reflecting all the madness that she failed to notice he had before. "You don't even know the meaning of hurt."

Not wanting to see his face in that contorted state any longer, she closed her eyes tightly and tried to pry his hands off of her arms futilely. "Stop it!"

"No!" As the sound of his voice raised with his anger, he shook her harshly, obviously trying to get her to open her eyes. "Not until you tell me who the hell you are!"

Keeping her eyes closed, she shook her head, all the while struggling to get out of his grip. "No!"

He shook her again, his voice ringing in her ears as he shouted, "Who are you?!"

"What do you want me to say?" she whispered shakily.

"Tell me who you are!"

As he shook her again, he lost his grip on one of her arms, no wonder due to his drunk state. Seeing her chance and fed up with his obsession to have his lover back through her, she shouted back what she needed to say in the first place, "I'm not your mate, you bastard! I'll never be!"

With that, she slapped him with all the force she had left in her. He was already having trouble keeping his balance. As she watched in horror, he fell to the ground and immediately passed out. Tears flowing down her cheeks, she kneeled next to his unmoving form. It was disconcerting how his features changed in mere seconds. A moment ago, the rage on his face frightened her to the core. Now, now he looked so innocent, but she knew better.

She knew it. Kagome knew that she loved him with all her heart. She would gladly spend the rest of her life by his side if he wanted. But, it was't Kagome he wanted. All he wanted from her was his former lover, and that fact was not going to change no matter how hard she tried.

She had to get away from him. She had to run away as far as she could. 'But, how far would be far enough?' She knew that wherever she went, he would find her eventually. Was there even a place where he could not reach her?

'Home.'

Yes, home. She did have a home, didn't she? 'A home, where he can't follow me.' She had to get out of this world and stay away from him even if it killed her in the end. There was no doubt that she would be dead if she stayed. Her own emotions would kill her, even if he did not.

Her hands trembled and her heart cried out in anguish as she reached for the necklace.

End of Chapter 10


	11. The Breaking Point

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

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_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

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'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 11: The Breaking Point**

Panting, Kagome sat under a tree in the garden that looked to the southern side of the main building. It had been rather easy getting out of the building because most of the demons were still partying either in the great hall or in the front gardens. It seemed that most of the guards joined the festivities after midnight, and those who did not were too busy with restraining their drunken comrades from hurting others to notice the unusualness of her presence in the halls at that time of night.

At first, she thought she was lucky for the chaotic state of the castle. However, that soon changed when she stepped outside the building. The front garden that led to the only gate she knew of that would take her out of this place was full of demons, who were drinking, dancing and making fools of themselves. Besides, there was the abundance of guards that were still completely sober and on duty at the front gates. It was impossible for her to make her way out of the castle using that exit. True, now that she was able to use her powers, she would have a chance if there were only one or two guards around, but this many? No way. Not wanting to give up yet, she searched the grounds for an opening, where she could make her escape. That search had led her to where she was now. She looked around the castle walls for hours only to find that the front gates were the only exit she could use, considering that she didn't have wings. She sighed, feeling crestfallen now that she knew she wouldn't be able to escape from this place or escape from him.

Her eyes landed on the necklace that dangled from the confines of her obi. She still felt bad for taking it off of his neck, for betraying him like that. However, the pain of his betrayal stung much more than her guilt. Besides, she had to do it if she wanted to go back home. That was what Keiko said. The priestess with the veil was the only one Kagome knew of that would make the well work for her, and she wanted the necklace to do it.

Now that it was in her possession, it seemed so insignificant. This bunch of beads and fangs was what had protected him for years, and she took it from him. 'Oh, Inuyasha.' A sob escaped her lips, followed by a tear falling down her cheek at the thought of him. She still couldn't digest what she heard hours ago. He really did want to bring his mate back at the cost of her life. He even had the spell cast on her, for God's sake! How far did they go with the spell? Would she really be safe if she went back home or would the spell take effect no matter where she was? That was another reason for her need to see Keiko. The priestess would know the answer to those questions, wouldn't she? And maybe, maybe she could even reverse the spell.

At the thought of Keiko, Kagome felt ashamed of her doubts about the priestess' words. Everything had been so obvious, if only she hadn't been so blind. She could see everything clearly now.

Keiko had said that he was merciless, hadn't she? Kagome hadn't believed it until she saw it for herself from the way he treated her last night. Now that she thought about it, he would have killed his comrade in front of her eyes if she hadn't interrupted. And then, there was the issue of those women in the great hall. Keiko had said that they had made whores out of the priestesses that had been captured. Kagome didn't need evidence to know that those women at the feast were the kidnapped priestesses. She just had never realized it before. No. Somehow, she had always known. It was just that she had never wanted to know the truth. She had been so ready to believe that he was good ... 'Stupid, stupid me.'

Did she really have the right to blame herself for being so stupid, though? After all, she couldn't help it if she fell in love with the guy and if she still loved him with the same intensity. 'Oh, God, please help me.'

By the time she realized that the sun was rising, the tears that had flowed down her cheeks had dampened the front of her kimono. 'It's almost morning. What shall I do now?'

Kagome recoiled as she heard a rustle coming from the bushes behind the tree she sat leaning against. She felt relieved when she saw Kirara come out of the bushes. The small cat demon jumped on her lap and started purring softly.

"Hello, little one, what are you doing here?"

She chuckled in spite of her tears as the cat sent her a look that said 'Me? What are you doing here?'

"I need to get out of this place. I need to go now." After another sob made its way out of her lips, she added, "I will die if I don't."

As she watched, clueless to what the cat was doing, Kirara mewed and jumped to the ground before transforming to a giant cat that would rival a lion in size. She realized the demon's intentions when she turned her head to look at the surprised woman expectantly.

"What? You'll help me?" she asked.

Receiving a nod in response, Kagome got up and climbed onto Kirara's back.

* * *

As the first rays of the sun peeked from the window, one could make out a lone figure lying in the middle of the room. His silver hair stood in sharp contrast with the dark wooden floor that it was sprawled upon. Hasty footsteps could be heard from the hall behind the closed door. One ear twitched at first and then the other joined its friend as the footsteps came closer.

Inuyasha groaned in agony as the first wave of awareness came in the form of a headache. 'Dammit! What the hell happened to me?' He tried to open his eyes, only to find out that it intensified the pain. 'Fuck! I shouldn't have drank that much.'

He sat up slowly as the door was banged rather loudly, sending shockwaves from his ears to his throbbing head. 'Who the fuck is this?'

"Stop it, you fucking moron!"

'Wait a minute, why am I lying on the floor?' He heard Jaken, the annoying toad demon who made it his life's sole purpose to serve his bastard of a brother, squeak behind the door. "My Lord Sesshoumaru requires your presence immediately, you insolent half-breed."

The little toad demon abruptly stopped insulting him the moment the said 'half-breed' let out a menacing growl in spite of his headache.

"I-I m-meant L-lord Inuyasha!"

"Keh!" He couldn't stop the smirk that formed on his lips. 'Ever the coward.'

"Tell the bastard I'm coming," he mumbled irritably.

"B-but he wants to see you now," insisted Jaken. "He said it was urgent."

"I said I'm coming, dammit!"

Inuyasha snorted in disdain as he heard the toad walk away, all the while grumbling under his breath. He cursed in his head for his bad luck. The one time he had a hangover, there had to be something 'urgent.' He sighed, thinking that whatever it was that was stuck up Sesshoumaru's ass this time, he better get it over with.

He ran his hand through his ears and face and then he smelt it — the metallic scent of blood. To his horror, it wasn't just anyone's blood that coated the tips of his claws, it was _hers_. 'What the ... Just what the hell did I do?!' He checked his claws only to realize that he must have only scratched her skin. 'True. I was holding her arms, shaking her …' As the memories of last night bombarded his mind, he groaned at the realization of how far he had gone. He ran his hands through his hair. When he let his hands fall onto his lap, he noticed it — the absence of her scent. He sniffed the air carefully. She wasn't in the room. Where was she?

Despite the remorse he felt for hurting her physically, he couldn't blame himself for what he had done to her. No, Not anymore. He meant it when he said he had no patience left. He knew he was about to reach the breaking point, and what he had done last night was the obvious sign of that. He wanted his mate back. He needed his mate back and he wasn't going to wait even a second longer. But now, he had to find her first.

'What about the asshole?' He sighed in exasperation when he remembered his brother's call. He could always ignore it, but no. He knew that the bastard would not leave him alone if he did that. It wouldn't probably take much time; it never took much time when it came to Sesshoumaru. He was a man of few words, after all. And if his guess was right, the bastard would probably admonish him for his behavior last night and would let him go after shouting a few carefully chosen words of brotherly love. Only then would he be able to search for the wench to his heart's content and deal with her as he wished without interruptions. Besides, the stupid wench could not have gotten outside the castle walls without purifying anyone, which he didn't think she could. But if she did, it was impossible for a mere human to get off the hill the castle was built on. He snickered at that thought. 'If the stupid wench thinks she can run away from me, she is in for a nice surprise.'

It was settled then; he was going to deal with his brother before looking for the girl. "Keh!"

His headache now almost completely gone thanks to his demonic heritage. He stood up and splashed some water on his face before leaving the room. As he walked through the halls that led to his oh-so-mighty lord brother's study, his nose caught a familiar scent, causing him to change his route.

Just as he predicted, he found the old priestess patiently knocking on her young apprentice's door, calling out to the lazy girl to wake up. Chuckling at the couple's antics that had been their morning ritual for years now, he called out to the priestess.

"Hey, old hag!"

Hearing the unwelcome nickname the half-demon lord insisted on calling her for some unknown reason, she turned to face him, a soft sigh escaping her lips in the process.

"Lord Inuyasha! I must say I'm surprised to see you awake after last night." To his credit, he blushed as she mentioned his drunkenness. Chuckling at his shyness, which became rare to witness as the years passed, she continued, "What brings you here at this time of day?"

"Have you seen the wench?" he asked.

"Wench? Oh! You must mean Lady Kagome. No, I haven't. Why?"

"Well, she's not in the room."

Her eyes hardened when she saw the guilt that passed his features as he said that. "What did you do, my lord?"

"What the hell does that mean, old hag? I did nothing!" Seeing the disbelieving look she was giving him, he decided a little more honesty would help him get her do what needed to be done. "I might have scared her, a little."

Sighing, she ran her hand over her face. "Why am I not surprised? Am I wrong to guess that you want me to find her?"

"Yeah, you do that. I have to meet my brother now. So, you know where to find me if you see her."

She nodded her understanding before he turned to leave.

'Now that that's settled, it's the bastard's turn. Let's get this over with.'

* * *

Sesshoumaru paced the room back and forth in anger, which was normally so unlike him. However, he couldn't stop himself for his brother's stupidity was driving him insane. It was times like this that he regretted ever accepting the half-breed's relation to himself. It was true that he wasn't a fan of his brother, but normally, ever since that cursed day when he was almost subdued, he had a decent relationship with him. If he had to be honest, which he luckily did not — at least not to those around him — he would admit that often times he felt something akin to pride when it came to his brother. It was strange, indeed, that he would consider his half-breed brother a source of pride. The pup turned out to be an excellent strategist and a great leader, though — Just like their father had been, and just like Sesshoumaru was. It had been Inuyasha who thought of using mind-readers to control the priestesses' minds to make them free the captured demons, for instance. If it wasn't for that tactic, there wouldn't be many demons around today to fight back against the humans. And that was only one of his brilliant ideas that helped them survive this long. If only he could keep his calm when it came to his mate …

As the door slid open, he turned to see his brother entering his study. Inuyasha seemed tired, no doubt because of his adventures from last night.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" bellowed Sesshoumaru immediately.

The said brother's ears flattened against his head before he retaliated back with equal force, the insolent whelp. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Don't play the fool; you know what I'm talking about!"

"How the hell am I supposed to know what the fuck pissed you off every damn time, huh?!" countered the half-demon.

"The stunt you pulled back in there in front of half of our nobles!" snapped Sesshoumaru.

That remark stopped Inuyasha's tirade. Good. His silence only meant that he knew what he was guilty of. Satisfied, now that he made his point, the mighty dog demon asked in a calmer tone, "Why did you do it, Inuyasha?"

Folding his arms in front of his chest, the half-demon looked away from his brother, obviously trying to avoid the subject. "None of your damn business, asshole," he muttered.

"Do not test my patience, half-breed." Sesshoumaru's threat could be felt more from the coldness of his voice than from his words.

Sighing, Inuyasha let his arms fall to his sides and started pacing the room as he explained, "I was just trying to get a rise out of her, okay? It wasn't supposed to go this far. She was supposed to get mad and make me stop, but she didn't and I just couldn't stop myself after some point …"

Inuyasha was trying to get her angry? If Sesshoumaru didn't know better, he could swear that his brother was the most stupid moron on his lands. 'He was trying to get a rise out of her, that baka.' "Do you even realize what you've done, you baka?! You treated her like a common whore!"

The moment the word fell from his brother's lips, Inuyasha's hand was on his sword, ready to use it against him after all these years. "Don't you dare call her that!"

"I don't, moron! You did!" countered the dog demon. "Because of your ignorance, others followed your example and treated her in the same way!"

"No one would dare do such a stupid thing again," the general growled out.

"And why not?"

"Because they would be dead before they could even touch her! I made sure they learned that after last night!"

"And that's the problem, baka! You risked such unnecessary confrontations, and I don't like it the least bit. You'll either kill one of your comrades or get killed yourself. Why would you risk doing something like that?!"

The half-demon looked at him in the eyes for a few more seconds, his own eyes burning with barely suppressed anger, before turning his gaze away. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"It's just that …" Inuyasha sighed before trying again. "It's because …" Giving up, he growled in frustration and stomped toward the door. Half-way to the door, he stopped and took a few deep breaths before turning back to face his older brother. Sesshoumaru almost gasped when he saw the tired expression on his face and the resolution in his eyes. At this moment in time, his younger brother looked much older than his years.

"Because I would do anything …" As Inuyasha's voice quivered, Sesshoumaru knew he was pushing his brother too far. But the half-demon composed himself before shouting in his brother's face. "I would give my life to hear her say it once again!"

Not understanding what he indicated at first, the dog demon could not help but ask, "Say what?"

"Osuwari, dammit! Osuwari!"

Turning back, Inuyasha stormed out of the room, never once looking back at his brother, and thus, he missed the expression on his older brother's face. It was an expression nobody had ever seen on the stoic demon's face before and probably nobody would never see again …

… pity.

End of Chapter 11

**End notes:** If there are those among you that do not know the meaning of 'osuwari,' which I believe to be unlikely, it is the word Kagome uses to subdue Inuyasha in the manga, which is translated in the anime as 'sit' or 'sit boy.'


	12. The Lingering Sorrow of a Lonely Heart

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Author's Note:** If you want to know how Inuyasha mated his 'long lost love,' then I suggest you to read '**When She Comes Back**.' This one shot story is a prelude to Heartless, and contains spoilers to the ending of the manga. If you haven't read it already, this author strongly recommends you to do so before you read this chapter. Be warned, though. Story contains **lemon**. You can reach the story using one of the following links (leave out the spaces):

http :// www . mediaminer . org / fanfic / view_ / 159569 / 559476#fic_c

http :// www . fanfiction . net / s / 4806439 / 1 / When_She_Comes_Back

**~*~*~*~*~*~SPOILER ALERT~*~*~*~*~*~**

Chapter contains spoilers to the ending of the manga.

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 12: The Lingering Sorrow of a Lonely Heart**

Miroku urged the horse to go faster as he leaned forward to keep at least some of the wind from mercilessly whipping at him. As the seconds passed, he could hear the rhythm of the jingling of his staff on his back mixed with the sounds of hoofs meeting the ground speed up with each step the animal took. It wasn't enough, though. He had to go faster. He had to reach the group before something happened in his absence — something he wouldn't like.

Ten days after Keiko had decided to retrieve Kagome, they had set out at sunrise with a small group of soldiers and priestesses, including Keiko. He didn't know what she was planning on doing, but she had seemed determined to get Kagome away from Inuyasha. He and Sango had volunteered to join the group for they had been worried for their friends' safety. Well, Sango had been more concerned for Kagome, but he expected that to change after he talked to her.

Seeing that the route they had taken to the Western Lands had brought them close to their village, he had left the group to catch up with them later, saying that he was going to see his children. That had been a lie. Surely, he would love to see his children, for it had been weeks since he had last seen them, but he had more urgent matters in his mind now. What Sango had told him about Keiko's visit to the village had aroused his suspicions. If it had been any other time, he wouldn't have thought about it twice, but after Kagome's return ...

Miroku had gone to the village to see if what he had suspected was true. He shook his head, remembering what he had found, or rather had felt, after hours of meditation in front of the Goshinboku. Gods, how blind he had been!

He had been wrong about Keiko and about Inuyasha. He should have seen it before. He had known something was off after Kagome had returned through the well. The way she hadn't recognized him was unsettling. He knew it couldn't be accidental. Something had happened to her, and now he knew what it was.

Despite being a perfect judge of character, he hadn't seen it before. Miroku hadn't seen the madness in Keiko. Instead, he had blamed his friend for losing his mind. But, could he really blame himself for this misjudgment? Everything he had witnessed had been against Inuyasha. He could still remember how his relationship with Kagome had been going downhill. Before she had left, Kagome had been depressed for some reason, and she hadn't talked to anyone about her problems. Not even Sango had managed to learn what had been wrong with their friend. They had guessed that it had had something to do with Inuyasha. It was also possible that she had missed her family after being separated from them for years. Whatever the reason had been, the couple had had some serious arguments.

In the end, Miroku hadn't been too surprised when Kagome had left. He had supposed she would have returned, though, just like she had done many times before. But this time, she hadn't, not until recently. When she had left, Inuyasha had been very angry, and for good reasons too. He had become more irritable than he had ever been and hadn't let anyone approach him for years. And then, it had happened.

One day, he and Sango had found him by the well, hovering above a bloody figure — a figure they had soon recognized to be Keiko. That horrifying picture had been carved into his mind never to be erased again. Inuyasha's claws had been bathed in blood — Keiko's blood — as she had lain there unconscious, her face nothing but a piece of bloody meat. The worst thing had been that Inuyasha had not transformed. He had been aware of what he had done to her and he hadn't regretted it in the least. It hadn't mattered how Inuyasha had justified himself, for they had known Keiko. They had also known that Inuyasha hadn't been himself. That day, Miroku had lost one of his most precious friends to madness.

Gods, how wrong he had been! Only now he could see that his friend had been right from the beginning. True, the half-demon had done a terrible thing. However, Miroku the monk had a family as well — a family he protected fiercely. It wasn't difficult for him to sympathize with the unfortunate half-demon, and honestly, that didn't make him feel any better. At least he knew what he could do to atone for his crimes against his friend.

With renewed vigor, Miroku kicked the mare once more. He was so close to where the group had planned to camp. With a little luck, he would catch up with them in an hour. He had to talk to Sango.

* * *

"Dammit!" Inuyasha punched the nearest wall, causing his fist to go through the wooden material. Why was it that everything had to be so difficult when it came to him? Why did something bad _always_ happen whenever he thought his life was going to be _perfect_?

First Kikyo. He had thought that he had found a companion to share his loneliness with and believed that he would be happy with her. He would have done anything for that happiness, even sacrifice his demon half. He had loved her, after all. Then, everything had turned upside down thanks to that bastard Naraku and his treachery. He had lost the first woman he had ever loved as well as fifty years of his life.

Then, he had opened his eyes to Kagome's lovely face. He had hunted for the damn jewel shards and Naraku for a whole year. During that time, regardless of what he had wanted, he couldn't promise Kagome anything, except his protection. He snorted, remembering the times he had failed to do even that. He knew that he had caused her great pain, but he had been bound by his honor and sense of responsibility. Not to mention that he hadn't been over Kikyo at the time. Then, he had lost Kikyo again.

Just when everything had been over and he had been ready to give Kagome everything she had wanted from him, the well had taken her away. He had waited for three whole years, wishing and hoping against hope to see her beautiful face smile at him, to hear her angry voice shout at him, 'Osuwari,' and to feel her sweet scent fill his nostrils. He had been so lonely without her. True, he had been alone all his life until he had met Kikyo, but this time, it had been different. He hadn't realized how much he had gotten used to Kagome's presence by his side. Almost like being addicted …

Then, one day, she had returned to him. Just like she had done every time she had left through the well, Kagome had come back. Only, it had taken much longer than he had been used to. And this time, she had come back to spend the rest of her life with him. He had been so excited; he couldn't wait to show her the house he had built for her during his wait. No, he couldn't. He had mated her on the forest ground on their way to their new home. That day, almost twelve years ago, in the forest called with his name, Kagome had become his.

It had been the beginning of the happiest years of his life. Surely, he had done some stupid things that had infuriated her at times, but they had always led to incredible make up sex. And after his twin pups had been born, he had thought he couldn't get anymore luckier. 'Keh!' If only he had known how wrong that had been.

Keiko had entered their lives when Kagome had been pregnant with the pups. Kaede had been too old to perform her duties alone, and he wouldn't let his mate work in her vulnerable state. Hey, he was part dog demon. What would you expect? They had called for help from other villages, and Keiko had been sent to help Kaede out. She had been a young priestess with a kind heart. Everybody had come to like her in a short time, even him. Well, he had liked her mostly because she had helped Kagome a lot, which had given her more time to spend with him, but who cared? As long as his mate had been with him, he had been happy.

As usual, that had not lasted long. After the pups had turned two years old, Kagome had begun to act strange. She would lash out at him for no apparent reason and would refuse to tell him anything when he had tried to confront her about it. It had irritated him to no end, and soon, they had started having serious fights that had not ended with make up sex. Every time they had fought, he would leave to cool himself down, only to find the house empty upon his return. She would spend those nights mostly at Keiko's hut because Sango and Miroku's place had already been crowded.

To be honest, it hadn't been only Kagome who had been irritable. At the time, he had been suffering from nightmares — nightmares that had made him writhe in guilt, nightmares that had felt so unnatural. He couldn't remember which one started first: his nightmares or her strange attitude. He had been too involved in his guilt to notice. After every nightmare, he had traveled to the one place he had found solace and begged for forgiveness.

It had been after his return from one of those trips that he hadn't been able to find Kagome anywhere. He had searched the village only to find out that her scent had ended at the well. She had gone back to her time, leaving him alone once again. Worse, she had taken the pups with her because they were nowhere to be found, and the damn well hadn't let him through.

At first he had thought that she had missed her family and that her irritable attitude had been because of it. He had hoped that she would come back once she had started feeling better, just like the previous times. So, he had waited and waited.

As time had passed, other thoughts had surfaced in his mind, but he had adamantly pushed them back. No, she wouldn't. His Kagome wouldn't leave him for good, especially not with the pups. Having grown up without a father herself, she wouldn't let his pups grow up without their father, no matter what happened.

He turned, and leaning his back against the wall, he slid down to sit on the ground. He raked his bangs with one hand as he let the other rest on his raised knee. Did it really matter what had happened? In the end, she had left him, and he had waited for her, again. He had waited for another three years. During that time, he had become bitter. He had cursed his faith. He had rebelled against the gods, who had cursed him with his faith. It was only her he couldn't bring himself to curse.

Miroku and Sango had tried to talk to him, to reason with him, to convince him to leave the well. But, he had been in no mood to listen to anybody. Shippo had been furious with him at first, but even the runt had pitied him in the end and had left him alone.

Only Keiko had insisted on visiting him everyday. She had brought him food, which he had refused adamantly. She had tried to talk him into moving on with his life, which he had never listened to. If only he had seen it before … He banged his head against the stone wall behind him in exasperation. 'If only.' He wasn't a stupid guy, mind you. He couldn't have lived to his age if he was. However, he had been too involved in his grief to notice it until Keiko had made a mistake.

It had been by the end of the third year he had spent by the well. He had been losing his hope and falling into despair. She had come to him as usual with a bowl of soup in her hands. He hadn't even acknowledged her presence as she had begged him to come back to his senses and stop his fruitless wait. Then, something unexpected had happened. Keiko, the kind-hearted priestess who had never been rude to a single soul during her stay in their village, had snapped at him.

"_Are you stupid?!"_

_Hearing her cry, Inuyasha looked at her standing form from where he sat by the well, his back leaning against the wooden structure. His eyes widened a fraction seeing the rage on her face. This was nothing like the Keiko he knew. What was wrong with her? When his surprised expression turned to one of confusion, she continued, "Your waiting is futile. She won't come back."_

_He snorted at the seriousness in her voice. These stupid priestesses always thought that they were wiser than everybody else, didn't they? 'Keh!' They knew nothing, though. Nobody could ever know Kagome like he did. Turning his head away from the young woman he muttered, "She will."_

"_No, she won't."_

_Hearing that, his head turned toward her once more before he snapped, "And how do you know that?"_

"_It's obvious, Inuyasha."_

_She sounded so certain, almost as if she knew something that he didn't. 'What if she does?' Come to think of it, Keiko had been close to Kagome. All those times they had fought, she had spent the night at Keiko's. Why hadn't he thought about that before? Of course, she knew why Kagome left! Never taking his eyes off of hers, he stood up slowly, as he asked, "You know something, don't you?"_

_She shook her head in the negative, but not before he had seen that look of panic flash in her eyes. She definitely knew something. Getting impatient, he took a step toward her as she took a step back. "Tell me, dammit! What do you know?!"_

_Shaking her head, she took another step back before shouting, "It doesn't matter! She's not coming back. Not ever!"_

_He clenched his fists in anger. The bitch definitely knew something. But why the hell was she refusing to tell him?! "Why not, dammit?!" he growled._

"_Because she's not worthy of you!"_

_He was completely taken aback by her outburst. This was something he hadn't expected to hear from Keiko. She had been Kagome's friend, after all. Why would she think so lowly of her?_

_Before he could voice his question, she continued shouting, "Why are you still waiting for her? Have you forgotten how she treated you?! All those times she subdued you?! Would she have done that if she loved you?!"_

_His mouth was hanging open. What the hell was she talking about? And how dare she tell him that his mate did not love him, dammit?! He opened his mouth to give her a piece of his mind before he was cut short with her softened voice._

"_I wouldn't do that to you. Can't you see that? It's me who really loves you!"_

_It was that moment when realization dawned upon him. Keiko had not only known something about his mate's leaving, but she had also done something to make her leave. He had been right, after all. Kagome hadn't left him, had she? She had been sent away by the treacherous bitch that had wormed her way into their lives like a snake and had poisoned his mate without anyone knowing about it. "It was you, wasn't it? You did something to her. You sent her away, didn't you?!"_

"_What does it matter now? She's gone, but I'm here for you."_

_He couldn't take it anymore. In the blink of an eye, his hand was around her neck, threatening to choke her. He whispered, his voice dripping venom, "You will tell me what you did to her and to my pups."_

"_It's too late," she choked out as she closed her eyes to escape his scorching gaze._

"_You will tell me, or else …" he trailed off, letting her ponder the possibilities of what he could do to her if she did not cooperate._

_The impudent bitch was not going to make his job easy, it seemed, for she refused to talk against the increasing pressure on her throat. He slapped her with the back of his free hand. Even his voice was trembling with fury as he ordered once more, "Speak, now!"_

"_No!"_

The rest of that confrontation was a blur in his mind. Only when he had heard Sango and Miroku's voices, had he become aware of his surroundings. All he had wanted was to make her talk, to learn what had happened to Kagome and his pups. In his anger and desperation, he hadn't realized how much he had tortured her. She would have died in his hands if the monk and the slayer had not interrupted. Of course, seeing what he had done, they had been furious with him and had claimed he had lost his mind. He had left, promising that he would be back and swearing that he would kill her the next time.

Inuyasha wasn't proud of what he had done, mind you. He had killed many times before, but torturing someone, especially someone weaker than himself, had not been for him. However, he didn't regret it, either. He knew for a fact that he would do it again if he ever laid his hands on her. He would do _anything_ to get his pups back.

Later, he had heard that she had run away from the village, seeking protection from one of the lords. Apparently, she had changed her mind about the cruelness of his subjugation spell after that day by the well because the lords had started a war against demons with her help in using that damn spell. The lords had already been restless because of the increase in the number of demon attacks on human villages. It seemed that a few years after Naraku's demise, the number of rogue demons had increased, and it hadn't helped that he had refused to leave the well since Kagome had left.

He had been quite amused when he proved to be immune to their subjugation spells. The annoying beads Kagome had used against him had been his salvation. They hadn't managed to subdue him no matter how hard they had tried, for the wench's spell — which was only one of the ways they were connected — had been too powerful.

Having heard about his immunity, and also about his victory against Naraku, other demons had started asking him for help. He had accepted, thinking that he could at least keep the demons from attacking civilians. No need to mention that he had had a bone to pick with Keiko. Before he knew it, he had become the general of the demon armies.

Although he had been busy with the war, Inuyasha had made it a habit to go to the Goshinboku on the nights of the new moon. Thanks to his human blood, his longing for his mate and pups had become unbearably intense on moonless nights. At least, being close to the sacred tree had made him feel closer to his family. By the end of one of those nights, after more than nine years, Kagome had come back.

That night he had been injured on his way by two soldiers. He had been sitting under the Goshinboku when she had showed up. He couldn't believe his eyes when he had seen her. At first he had thought her to be a dream. Only when the sun had risen and he had smelt her scent, had he known that she had finally returned.

His happiness had lived short, though. He had realized that she had not remembered him when she had asked who and what he had been. Then, they had been surrounded by the human soldiers, and he had had no choice but to run away without Kagome in his injured state. He had tried to take her with him at the hot springs, but Sango had intervened. Not wanting to fight his ex-comrade, he had left without Kagome. Besides, his injuries had not been healed, and he would have lost if he had fought.

He had gone back to the Western Castle to talk to Nobuko and Hiromi about Kagome's situation, and also to come up with a way to take her back. Both women had agreed that her memory loss could have been caused by a spell. If it had been the case, she should not have been forced to remember, for that could have caused the spell to become permanent. He had been enraged when he had heard that. Unfortunately, that had not been the worst part.

"_Heed my words, my lord. This spell does not work on everyone, especially not on someone as strong as your mate. She must have wanted to forget in order for the spell to affect her."_

After hearing that from the old priestess, he had suspected that Kagome might have known about his nightmares. He shook his head at that thought. No, it wasn't possible. His Kagome wouldn't want to forget about him, not even for a moment. But, she had forgotten, and he desperately needed her to remember. So, he had sneaked into the castle where she had been held and kidnapped her.

Even though he had been forbidden to tell her anything about their past, he couldn't keep himself from doing things that could have triggered her memory. He had tried to get her angry; he had tried to be affectionate with her like they had been after they had mated. However, nothing seemed to work so far. Sometimes he had forgotten that she hadn't remembered, and when he had been reminded of that fact by her actions or words, he had become irritable.

Just like that day, on their way to the Western Castle, before Sesshoumaru had so rudely interrupted. 'The bastard.' When she had asked where he had been taking her, it had reminded him of their first time. She had asked the same question then. Looking around, he had seen how much their surroundings had looked like where he had mated her. He couldn't stop himself and had said that he had been taking her to their new home, like he had done so long ago. To his surprise, she had said exactly the same words she had that day. Gods, he had missed her so much, he couldn't have stopped himself even if he had wanted to. Besides, he hadn't wanted to stop, hoping that reenacting their special moments would help her to remember. But, the bastard had to intrude. That was why he had lost his control and almost turned full demon on Sesshoumaru.

When they had arrived at the castle, Nobuko and Hiromi had cast a spell on Kagome to remove Keiko's spell. They had made her drink that nasty potion everyday to keep Keiko's spell from invading her mind again before she remembered. According to the old hag, the bitch's spell would be completely gone once Kagome remembered herself.

The wait was taking its toll on him, though. The more time it took her to remember, the less patience he had left. Finally, he had come to a breaking point last night. He knew what he had done to her was not nice. Fuck, he himself was losing control thinking that all those bastards in that room had smelt her. And, the way he had frightened her afterwards … He had never hurt her physically — except those times he had transformed. He couldn't stand seeing her in pain and smelling her blood, but he was too far gone to care about those anymore. He _needed_ her to remember, dammit!

He had to know where his pups were!

* * *

'Small steps, small steps, must not hurry, small steps …' Despite what she had been chanting in her mind, Rin found herself increasing her pace after every few steps. She stopped the bounce in her step just in time to keep the teacup from falling off the tray she was holding. Since the day her lord had brought her to this castle after the war had started all those years ago, it had been a routine job for her to prepare her lord's morning tea and serve it to him with her own hands — a job she took immense pleasure from. Some of the ladies around her did not understand why she was doing this. She was the lady of the house, wasn't she? Didn't she have lots of servants to run her errands for her? She would only smile at them whenever she was asked such questions. What could she say to them? They wouldn't be able to understand even if she tried to explain.

Sesshoumaru had been her savior at first. Then, he had honored her by becoming her lord. After the destruction of Naraku and the jewel, he had left her with Lady Kaede to help her get used to being around humans. She had spent several years away from him, wishing and hoping that he would take her back one day. He had come to visit her occasionally and had brought her presents every time, but he had never let her follow him. Finally, when Kaede had died and the war had started, he had come back to take her with him. Apparently, he had been concerned for her safety among humans because too many people had known about her connection with him.

After all those years she had been away from him, Rin would do anything to spend five more minutes in his presence everyday. No, those pompous fools wouldn't comprehend that. There was only one person in this castle that could understand her. She sighed, thinking about what her brother-in-law had been through. 'Poor guy.' She supposed she was lucky to have been reunited with her lord. If she could give him an heir, she would have nothing left to wish for.

Sighing, she turned one last corner and reached the hall that led to her mate's study. She was surprised to see the object of her previous thoughts on her way. He was sitting on the ground, his head against the wall, his hands resting on his raised knees, his head bent down. He looked absolutely miserable. She hurried toward her brother-in-law, careful not to spill the tea on her tray.

"Inuyasha?"

He raised his head to look at her with his golden eyes — eyes that reflected every inch of his suffering. Before he could utter a word, his name rang in their ears, causing his to flatten against his head. They both turned their heads at the same time to see Emi, Lady Nobuko's young apprentice, running in their direction.

"My lord, she's gone!" she cried out.

He was on his feet in an instant as he shouted back, "What the hell do you mean?!"

Finally reaching their sides, the girl answered, her voice getting high-pitched in her panic. "One of the guards had seen Kirara flying towards the east with a human woman on her back! It was her!"

"Dammit!" With that, he rushed out of the hall, leaving a bewildered Rin and a gasping young priestess behind him.

Rin sent Emi a confused look before asking, "Who's gone?"

End of Chapter 12


	13. Fallen

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dreams and memories_

**Chapter 13: Fallen**

Inuyasha had been on their tail for hours, but dammit, Kirara was fast. As if that wasn't enough, they had had a head start. At least they were traveling against the wind, which made it possible for him to follow them. It was almost noon, and he hadn't stopped even once to catch his breath. No, he couldn't afford a break. Not when she was running away again!

With a mighty leap, Inuyasha flew over a cliff only to land on the other side and resume his hunt on treetops. He opted to stay in the air as much as he could for he could catch her scent better this way. He knew the wench thought he had had a mate he had lost. He couldn't deny it because it was the truth. He was also aware that she had thought she resembled his mate. He couldn't deny that either. Of course she looked like his mate, because _she_ was his mate, dammit! But, how could he come out and say it when there was a chance that it could make things worse? Out of everything, what infuriated him most was that she thought he was using her as a substitute. He was so sick of it! After everything they had been through, he couldn't stand the fact that she once again believed that he was comparing her to someone else.

Oh, he was so going to kill the one who had told her all of this. And, he had a really good guess as to who it was. It was that bitch, Keiko, wasn't it? Kagome had asked him about her resemblance to his lost lover on their way to the western lands, after he had gotten her out of Keiko's clutches. The bitch had done it to keep Kagome away from him, hadn't she? He would admit the priestess was quite clever and cunning to have made his mate believe that he was thinking about another woman when he was with her.

Inuyasha still wanted to know just what Keiko had done to make Kagome leave all those years ago, to make her submit to that damn spell. Nobuko had said Kagome must have wanted to forget for the spell to take effect. As much as he didn't want to believe that his Kagome would want to forget about him, seeing how treacherous Keiko could be, he was getting more inclined to think that she must have done it after all.

A sudden image of his waist being straddled by _her_ as he lay on his back while _she_ lowered herself on his shaft again and again flashed before his eyes, causing him to lose his balance and almost topple to the ground. 'What the hell!? Where did that come from?' That wicked nightmare from hell he had suffered from for months, leaving him in the clutches of guilt and sorrow — He had felt guilty because his mind had betrayed his mate by conjuring up such dreams about _her_. He had felt guilty because he had tainted the memory of her by seeing himself being ravished by her over and over for several months. He had never thought about her that way when she had been alive. Many times, when the guilt had become unbearable, he had gone to the place she had died for the last time to beg for her forgiveness. He had been so relieved when those unnatural nightmares had stopped …

… right after Kagome had left.

'Dammit!' He landed on the ground as his punch created a small crater on the earth. 'God fucking dammit!!' Why hadn't he thought of that before? He had never seen one of those horrible nightmares after Kagome had left. He had been so lost in his pain that he hadn't realized. No matter how hard it was to accept, everything made more sense when he thought about it. They had felt so unnatural, he was now sure that it had been Keiko's doing. If Kagome had known …

He shook his head as one word echoed in his mind, 'No.' He refused to believe that Kagome had wanted to forget about him unless she told him so. She had known that he had loved her, hadn't she? He hadn't been able to voice his love for her, but he had shown her in every way he could. He had chosen to spend his life with her, he had waited for her, he had built a house for her, he had mated her, and he had raised a family with her. After everything they had shared, she couldn't have believed that he had yearned for Kikyo, could she?

No.

He was going to find her, and in one way or the other, he was going to make her remember, make her tell him that she hadn't doubted his love for even a second.

With renewed determination, Inuyasha leaped to the top of the trees and resumed his chase after his mate.

* * *

Kagome raised her head from its perch on Kirara's neck when she felt the cat demon slightly dive towards the ground. The sun was low in the sky, and Kagome knew that it was only a matter of minutes before the darkness of the night enveloped the forest they were traveling over. To her relief, she realized that her companion had chosen the riverside as their new resting place. 'Poor Kirara must be really thirsty by now.' They had been in the air since dawn with the exception of the only break they had taken at noon. She could feel her muscles aching from sitting on the giant cat demon for hours. She supposed Kirara was tired as well, even if she was a demon.

Landing in a large clearing that was cut by the river down its middle, Kirara waited until her precious cargo was safely standing on her own two feet before transforming to her small kitten form. Letting Kirara jump to sit on her shoulder, Kagome walked toward the river. Holding the hem of her kimono to keep it from getting smeared on the muddy ground, Kagome crouched down on the bank and let her palms fill with water before carefully raising them to her shoulder so that Kirara could drink. When she was satisfied that her savior had her fill, she let her own parched throat indulge in the cool water. Wiping down the excess water from her lips and chin with the large sleeve of her kimono, she stood up, her eyes searching for a nice spot she could rest her back.

She sat under the shade of a nearby tree, her back against the tree's rough bark. Kirara jumped down from Kagome's shoulder to lie on her lap, letting the young woman caress her soft fur.

Kagome sighed tiredly and let her eyes close. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't relax. The uncomfortable feeling churning her insides wouldn't let her take a nap. Somehow, the more she ran away from him, the more it felt as if what she was doing was wrong. But for the life of her, she couldn't understand why. After what she had witnessed last night, she should feel nothing but relief for being able to escape, right? The man was trying to kill her, for God's sake! The very man she found herself unreasonably in love with.

As the hours passed, the necklace hidden in the folds of her obi felt heavier and heavier. Kagome knew the consequences of taking the necklace off of him, but she needed it to make Keiko send her home. 'Besides, he deserves it for everything he did to me, doesn't he?'

She gasped as the implications of that thought hit her in the face. 'Oh, gods, since when did I start to hold a grudge — against someone I love, no less?' Pushing her fingers inside her obi, she felt the coldness of the beads that protected the man she loved from being enslaved by humans. The image of a helpless, red-haired demon with sorrowful eyes and leashed by a collar like an animal flashed before her eyes. She blinked, and the image instantly turned to that of Inuyasha. His shoulders were slumped in defeat, and the flicker of light she had occasionally seen in his beautiful eyes was replaced by the darkness of betrayal and accusations. A collar of subjugation lay ominously around his neck. 'Inuyasha, no.'

But, she needed the necklace to go home.

A stray tear fell from her eyelashes and trailed down her cheek as she stifled a sob. 'Since when have I become so selfish?' No. She couldn't let that happen to him. But, what was she going to do now? She couldn't go back to him even if that was the only wish in her treacherous heart. But perhaps, Kirara could take the necklace back to its rightful owner.

A loud roar brought her attention back to the cat demon. Kirara had transformed once more and was staring at the forest behind her, her posture ready to attack. Her heart thumping in her chest, Kagome slowly turned and peeked from behind the tree she had been leaning against to see what had her companion so unnerved. A surprised gasp left her when her eyes landed on the object of Kirara's ire.

* * *

It had been hours since the sun had set, leaving the lands in darkness. If it weren't for the faint moonlight, Inuyasha wouldn't have been able to travel as fast. Even with his enhanced sight, it was difficult to see where his feet were going to land. If it had been any other time, he would have stopped to wait for dawn to continue his journey, but that was out of the question now. He couldn't stop. Not now. Not when he knew she was close by. His heart started to thump wildly in its cage as her scent got stronger with each step he took, and he increased his pace with the help of the adrenaline rush in his excitement, his figure a silent whisper under the shadows of the night.

The half-demon skidded to a halt in a clearing illuminated by the moonlight as well as the phosphorescence on the river that cut the clearing in the middle. Her scent was so strong, he could almost taste it. His heart dropped to his stomach as other scents assaulted his nose. She had been here all right. But, she hadn't been alone. _She_ had been here as well. 'That bitch!'

Sensing a familiar presence, Inuyasha turned his eyes toward the northern side of the clearing and called out, "You're right to be afraid, you little traitor." A small figure emerged from the shadows followed by a sad mewl. He snorted in reply as he walked toward the kitten. Coming to a stop in front of Kirara, he crouched down, his eyes boring to his friend's. "I don't care how sorry you are or what she did to make you help her. Once I get her back, you and I are going to have a long chat. Now, where is she?"

With a whoosh of air, the small kitten morphed into a giant cat and turned to lead the way, but not before licking the half-demon's hand as a show of remorse. Inuyasha rolled his eyes before following after Kirara. If he wasn't in such a hurry, he wouldn't have let the cat demon get away with what she did. He already had a good guess about what the wench must have done to convince Kirara to help her. 'She must have cried her eyes out. What else?' He really didn't care about what she did or how bad the stupid cat felt about it. Kirara should have known better.

A few minutes later, he was perched on a tree branch with Kirara at his side as he gazed at the barrier surrounding a small clearing. He had never been so happy about the weak humans' need to rest. If only that damn barrier wasn't in his way. He knew Kagome was on the other side of that translucent wall that kept him away from her. She was so close that he could almost taste her, yet she was so far from his reach. Surely, he could go and break the fucking barrier with his Tetsusaiga, but then what? He was sure that the camp was full of soldiers and priestesses. Keiko was there and she never went anywhere without adequate protection. Breaking the barrier was not the smartest thing to do. They would be alert to his presence instantly. He might as well put a bell on his neck and dance around the camp. It wasn't himself he was concerned about, on the contrary, he knew he could take out anyone that dared touch him. But, if they dared touch her … No. He couldn't risk her safety. Not before he knew her condition.

The sounds of light footsteps reached his ears as a familiar figure entered his sight — a figure he hadn't seen since the night Kagome had returned. Making sure that he was completely covered by the shadows, he watched the monk check his surroundings and disappear behind the barrier, but not before sending a look to where Inuyasha was hiding with Kirara. 'Damn bouzo.'

* * *

As Sango sat by the campfire, poking the burning embers with a piece of wood and waiting for her husband to return to the camp, she felt the unwelcome effects of their long journey slowly catching up with her. She felt so tired — of traveling around, of fighting constantly, of this war, and of the emotional turmoil she had endured during the last fifteen years of her life. What she wanted was peace. She wanted to spend her days with her beloved family in their small hut and watch her children grow.

She had thought she had found peace when they had finally defeated Naraku and she and Miroku had started their new life as a married couple. However, those blissful days hadn't last long. When she had first realized the change in Kagome's mood, she had thought that it was because of either some stupid thing Inuyasha had done or the young woman's longing for the family she had left on the other side of the well. No matter how hard Sango had tried, Kagome hadn't talked about her troubles. After Kagome had left, Sango had watched Inuyasha lose himself in his sorrow. Her heart had cried for him as she and Miroku had tried to cheer him up. But, he had adamantly refused to leave the well, to move on with his life. He had become bitter and offensive, threatening to maim anyone who had dared approach the well. And then one day ….

Keiko had been their friend. For all Sango had known, the priestess had done nothing to offend anyone. When she and Miroku had found her by the well with her face unrecognizable from the wounds she had received and Inuyasha hovering over her with his hands coated in her blood and a devilish snarl the likes of which she had never seen on his face, Sango had been sure that the half-demon had finally lost his mind.

Keiko had left the village after she had recovered, and soon after that, the war had started. The demons had become more aggressive as had the humans, and Sango and Miroku had found themselves unable to stay out of this war. At least by fighting on the side of humans, they had been able to prevent unnecessary deaths many times. Neither Sango nor Miroku had approved the use of subjugation spells at first, but in time they had come to accept that it had been better than just killing their enemies.

When Kagome had returned through the well, Sango had been surprised to learn that she hadn't remembered anything about her past in this world, which had awakened her suspicions. It was only after Miroku had joined the group that morning after his trip to the village and had informed Sango about his discovery that she had no doubt left in her mind. Inuyasha had been right from the beginning. They had made a huge mistake.

She sighed as her eyes landed on her oblivious friend, sleeping close to the fire. Their group had come upon Kagome in a clearing by the river right before dusk. Keiko had been so excited to find her, she had allowed Kirara go. Just when Sango had thought Kagome would be safe with Inuyasha, the stupid woman had run away from him again, hadn't she? What was going to happen now?

Upon hearing soft footsteps, Sango looked up to see Miroku enter the safety of the barrier. 'Finally.' Something was amiss, though. His eyes screamed anxiety as he crouched down next to her. Curious to what might have happened to dampen his spirits — besides Kagome's unexpected presence, of course — she whispered, "What's wrong, Miroku?"

He looked at her in the eye before he whispered back, "He's here."

Sango was confused at first. "Who?" But as she saw his eyes drift toward Kagome before looking back at her, she knew just who he was talking about. Hoping against hope that she was mistaken, she asked, keeping her voice low to avoid being overheard by their companions, "Inuyasha?"

Miroku nodded in response. Having her fears confirmed, panic rose in Sango's heart. If there would be a confrontation with Inuyasha, she was sure that blood would be spilled. He wouldn't let Kagome go this time — especially not with Keiko. Before she could voice her fears, she heard Miroku whisper, "I'm going to talk to him."

She caught his hand in hers when he moved to stand up. Her answer to his questioning gaze was a determined glint in her eyes accompanied by a hushed statement. "I'll go with you."

Just like she expected, Miroku's first reaction was to object as he started, "Sango."

Sango's stern voice cut him short, however, as she stated matter-of-factly, "No, Miroku. He was my friend too."

Sighing in defeat, Miroku shook his head once before looking back at her. "As you wish."

* * *

Kagome kept her eyes closed as she listened to the whispered conversation of the monk and the slayer. 'He's here.' Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his name. 'Oh, Gods.' He had come after her. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. But what were those idiots thinking, going out there to confront him?

No.

She wasn't going to lie down and wait for others to fight her battles. If someone was going to face him, it would be her. Besides, she couldn't let them find about his vulnerability. What if they subdued him?

No.

As silent as she could move, Kagome stood up and followed after the couple, snatching up a bow and a quiver of arrows on her way.

She had to make him leave.

* * *

Keiko laid on her back, the tranquility of the forest sending her mind to the better days of her life. When she had been younger, it had been her life's goal to become a good priestess and serve humanity. Of course, that was to be expected. After all, she had grown up listening to the tale of the great priestess who had sacrificed her life to protect the Shikon no Tama. Keiko had been ecstatic when she had learned that she would be serving in the village her heroine had lived in.

When she had seen Inuyasha for the first time, she had been surprised to say the least. She had never seen a demon with humanoid features, let alone a half-demon. All she had known up to that point had been the belief that all demons were blood-thirsty monsters. But, he had looked so different, so beautiful. Spending time with the group, she had come to accept that, contrary to what she had been taught, not all demons were bad.

Her fascination with Inuyasha did not end with her admiration of his beauty, though. Soon after she had started living in the village, she had heard about his history with Lady Kikyo. Wishing to understand her heroine better, she had started paying more attention to the half-demon Kikyo had loved. Seeing how brave he had been when it had come to battling monstrous demons and his protectiveness of the ones he had loved, it hadn't been difficult to understand Kikyo. However, somewhere on the way, something had changed in Keiko. Before she knew it, she had fallen in love with him.

It had been hard for her, silently watching the man she had loved with another woman. Surely, she had liked Kagome a lot at first. But in time, especially after she had recognized her feelings for Inuyasha, she had started getting annoyed with the young woman. Worse was the times the couple had argued. She couldn't stand seeing him being subdued by his mate as if he was a dog on a leash. She had tried to find a way to save him from this humiliation. Soon, she had discovered that the only option had been to make Kagome go away because it had been obvious that Inuyasha had been too blind to run away. Kagome had to go to somewhere he couldn't follow.

Keiko had known about the well and how it had stopped working for Inuyasha. She had also known that the well would work only if Kagome wanted it to. But that stubborn woman would never want to leave her half-demon. Her loyalty to Inuyasha had been too strong, and because of that, even the spell Keiko had cast on her to make her forget about him had not worked. To weaken her trust, Keiko had used the only weakness Kagome had — Kikyo. She was still surprised how Inuyasha had not discovered the spell she had cast on him, but she was glad he hadn't. In the end, Kagome had left.

However, she was no longer glad that her endeavors had been successful. That horrible day on which she had lost her face, for the first time in years, she had seen Inuyasha for what he was — a monster. Just like every other demon, he was a monster and had to be leashed. Of course, that meant his children would be just like him if they grew up. But now, thanks to her, that wouldn't be the case. That thought alone let her sleep comfortably at night.

When she thought about it now, she believed that she had done Kagome a favor by making her leave. She had saved her from a monster, but the stupid woman found her way back. She tried to keep her away from him by using Kikyo's name once more. And obviously, once more, it worked.

Her eyes landed on the current object of her thoughts to see her silently leave the camp after the monk and the slayer, but not before grabbing a bow and a quiver of arrows. Something was up.

* * *

Inuyasha cursed as he heard footsteps approaching. The wind had changed direction only a few minutes ago, and already some weak humans managed to sneak up on him. His irritation lessened somewhat when he saw the monk and the slayer under the faint moonlight as they stepped closer. Miroku raised his head to look at the tree where he was perched, and he knew it was useless to try to keep his presence unknown. They knew he was there.

He jumped down to stand in front of his two ex-comrades, his posture stiff and his eyes daring them to make a move. He was taken aback to see the monk's eyes soften considerably before he began, "Inuyasha…"

Whatever Miroku was going to say was forgotten when a soft crunch was heard behind them. All eyes turned to the direction where the sound came from to see a delicate figure emerge from the shadows. Kagome stood proud as she stepped under the moonlight. Notching an arrow to her bow, she aimed it at him, her hands slightly trembling under the strain of holding the bow taut. Despite her hostile attitude, there was something in her eyes that rendered him unable to breathe the moment their gazes met. Something that was soft and hard, hot and cold, telling him to go away yet begging him to stay.

He had never seen her so beautiful.

As if being pulled, he took a step toward her. She tightened her hold on the bow as she shouted, "Stay where you are, Inuyasha!"

He heard Sango call her name, but she shushed the slayer telling them to go away. "This is between Inuyasha and me," she continued, her voice clearly conveying the finality of her words. He couldn't agree more as he watched Miroku lead Sango away, telling her that they better get Kirara away from the scene and the barrier.

Once they were alone, he attempted to approach her once more. "No!" she shouted again, causing him to stop in his tracks. "Why are you here?" Her voice cracked as she asked that, causing him to clench his fists in his inability to keep her from hurting.

"You should know why," he whispered, his eyes pleading with her to understand his pain.

Refusing to let him weaken her resolve, she shook her head, her long tresses falling over her shoulders as she did so. She whispered, her voice hard with determination, "Leave me alone."

'Leave you alone? No way.' He chuckled darkly as a smirk slowly found its way on his face. "Why? So that you'll get yourself killed among these humans?"

She furrowed her brows, obviously not amused, as she asked accusingly, "What is it to you? You don't care about me."

He recoiled as if he had just been slapped. Of all the things she could have assumed about him … Quickly recovering, he stated matter-of-factly, "That's not true."

The stubborn wench that she was, she narrowed her eyes, refusing to believe him, and shot back, "Oh, yes, it is. Now go away and leave me be."

This time it was him who shook his head. A sad smile forming on his lips, he whispered, "I can't."

"And why is that?"

He extended his hand toward her as he answered, "I want you to come back with me."

Taking a step back, she tightened her hold on the bow. "No. It's not _me_ you want." He smelled her tears before he saw them glisten in her azure orbs. She sniffed once and held her head high, her jaw tightening with renewed resolution. "You don't even know who I am."

He was quick to retort, "Yes, I do." Sighing, he raked his hand through his bangs once before letting the words he never used fall from his lips. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I've gone too far. I-I didn't mean to. I know who you are." He stepped towards her before continuing, "And I want you."

"No, you don't!" Following that outburst was the whizzing sound of the arrow she had released in her anger. He dodged it with a curse before she continued her rant, "I can't be who you want me to be, don't you get that?! No matter how I feel about you, I can't change who I am. I'm not Kikyo!"

"What the …?!" He wasn't expecting to hear that name — especially now, when _she_ had nothing to do with their conversation. "What does Kikyo have to do with this?!" Did she think he was trying to turn her to Kikyo? But why would she think that? He was really sick of Kikyo's name being slapped to his face. But this time, it was different. This time, Kikyo indeed had nothing to do with him or Kagome. However, someone had obviously told her about Kikyo. What they had forgotten — or deliberately omitted — to mention, he would. Straightening his shoulders, he shouted, "Kikyo is dead, dammit!"

She faltered in her attempts to notch a new arrow to her bow, and he sighed in relief. However, his relief lived short as she shook her head and scrunched her eyes shut. Not wanting to give her the time to convince herself otherwise, he called her name, "Kagome."

Hearing her name fall from his lips for the first time, she gasped and looked at him with shock written on her face. Smiling at her surprise, he continued as he stepped forward. "See? I know who you are. You're Kagome." Keeping his hands on his sides so as not to alarm his confused woman, he called her name once more, stressing each syllable as if tasting her name on his tongue, "Ka-Go-Me." He could clearly hear the pounding of her heart as he took another small step toward her, her name falling from his lips like a prayer, "_My_ Kagome." Her breath hitched in her throat, and he dove for the killing move, "And I need you by my side."

Suddenly, she recoiled and shouted, her bow once more taut in her hands, ready to be released, "You lie!"

'Fuck this!' Fed up with her stubbornness, he threw caution out of the window and started walking toward her, his hands opening his haori and shirt in one swift move, baring his chest to her. "If that is what you believe, then shoot me."

Her hands trembled, and she hesitated. Not stopping in his strides, he shouted, "What the fuck are you waiting for, wench?! I told you to fucking shoot me!"

* * *

Kagome couldn't do it. Her first shot had been a mistake, and she had secretly been glad to see him dodge it effortlessly. Now, now he was telling her to shoot him. How could she, when all she wanted to do was run to his arms?

She had been appalled to hear him call her by her name. Honestly, she hadn't hoped that he knew it at all. But he knew, and strangely, it sounded so familiar falling from his lips. 'Not only that, he said it was me he wanted.' Gods, how she wanted to believe his words.

She tried to stand strong as he made his way toward her. But try as she might, she couldn't stop her hands from trembling as they held the bow ready or her tears from falling down her cheeks.

She blinked to clear her sight, and he was in front of her before she opened her eyes. He knocked the bow out of her unresisting hands, eliciting a gasp from his hard-headed lover. Leaning his head down, he asked as he pushed her bangs away from her eyes, "Don't you see, dummy? It's _you_ I want."

Hope swelled in her chest as his words registered in her mind. Cupping the sides of her head, he gently pulled it up so that he could gaze into her hopeful eyes. She had to be blind not to see the love shining in his eyes, promising honesty, affection and so much more. He traced the line of her tears on her cheek with his thumb as he whispered, "It was you I wanted all the time."

Two hearts thumped at the same time, and the next time they beat, their owners were lost in the flames of passion as they embraced each other with all that they had, desperately trying to be one, never to be separated again. Kagome felt her head spin, and she clutched his haori in her hands, his taste in her mouth balm to the wounds in her heart. He kept her close to his heart as he kissed her pain away, and she gave in to the fact that she would rather be dead than be away from him.

Soon, they had to break the kiss in favor of breathing. He leaned his forehead on hers, their gazes locked and their chests pushing against each other as they struggled to regain their breath. She didn't want to break the spell they were in, but she had to know. Even if she believed what he told her now, she couldn't disregard what she had heard him say last night before he barged into the room and attacked her. "Inuyasha, I heard you last night. You said —"

Her words died in her throat when Inuyasha let out a menacing growl. Before she knew it, she found herself pushed behind him as he faced someone that made him immensely angry. Not a second passed before she heard Keiko's voice.

"So we meet again, Inuyasha."

"You bitch!" he snarled as he cracked his knuckles. Kagome peeked from above his shoulder to see Keiko and the rest of her group form a half circle in front of them, their bows and swords at the ready. He felt Inuyasha stiffen, and she instantly knew that he was about to spring forward to attack the newcomers. She latched onto his arm before he could make his move, causing him to glance back at her.

She shook her head to emphasize her point as she said, "No! You can't fight with them!"

He pried her fingers off of his arm as he kept an eye on the intruders. "I have no choice, wench!"

"No! Inuyasha." She wanted to tell him that he was in danger without his necklace on, but he interrupted her, his eyes burning with determination as he shouted back, "Just shut up and let me protect you!"

With that, he dove into battle with all his might. However, the sight in front of Kagome's eyes was completely different from the dark forest he was fighting in. The moment those words fell from his lips, she found herself standing on the enormously big bones of a deceased demon, where he fought a transformed Sesshoumaru to protect her. 'His father's grave.'

She fell to her knees as the memories bombarded her mind: the first time she had ever laid eyes on him as he slept bound to the Goshinboku; the well; the Shikon no Tama; Naraku; Kikyo; Sango; Miroku; Shippo; Kaede; Kirara; the day she had realized she had fallen in love with him as she had talked to her mother under the shade of Goshinboku; the day they had destroyed Naraku; being left in the darkness by the jewel; the relief in his eyes when he breached the darkness to find her; the horrified sight of his face when the well closed, sending him to his own world …

She was gasping for air by now, her hands clutching the sides of her head as if to keep her mind from blowing up. Yet, the knowledge she had hidden at the back of her mind wouldn't stop bringing flashes of her life in front of her eyes: the day she had returned to him; the way they had mated on the forest ground, unable to wait until he showed her their house; the day their children were born …

Kagome was brought back to reality when she heard an anguished cry. She looked up to see the boy she had fallen in love with the moment she had laid her eyes on him, the half-demon she had sacrificed everything to be with, the man who had given her much more than she had lost, her beloved mate, the ever-loving father of her children, and her unbreakable protector fall down to his knees, his head thrown back in agony, his moonlight hair whipping wildly in the wind …

… his hands clutching a new set of subjugation beads around his neck.

End of Chapter 13


	14. Angels Do Not Cry

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

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_Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!_

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**WARNING: **This chapter contains some disturbing images and mention of torture. Read at your own discretion.

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dreams or memories_

**Chapter 14: Angels Do Not Cry**

The dim light of the moon illuminated the small meadow surrounded by shadows. Once they were out of the foliage, Sango slowly seated herself and rearranged the bundle of fur in her arms — careful not to awaken her precious friend. She smiled when Kirara responded to her caresses with a purr. She looked up to see Miroku standing a few feet away, his face turned to the thin line that was the moon, his staff standing tall and proud in his hands — just like him. He looked so handsome, his eyes reflecting the faint moonlight, his pale skin in stark contrast with his dark hair. He would have looked so young too, if not for the slight furrow in his brows. Despite his calm exterior, he was as anxious as she was, it seemed.

"You're worried, aren't you?" she asked in a whisper.

He turned to face her before smiling softly. "I can't help it. I know they will work it out. I just hope that it won't take too long."

She nodded her agreement and turned her gaze to the starry night sky. "There's something in the night, isn't there? It makes me uneasy." She looked down at Kirara and scratched the kitten's ears softly before sighing. "What do we do now, Miroku?"

"I'm at a loss myself, Sango," mumbled the monk dejectedly. "Kagome is back, and now that we know what Keiko has done to them …" Massaging his neck with his free hand, he started pacing back and forth as he continued, his staff jingling with each step he took, "… but there is still a war going on."

Sango interrupted, "Perhaps if we talk to him, we might come up with a solution to that. I'm sure he will listen to us this time. He has Kagome back, and I don't think he would want this war to continue."

"I'm afraid it is not up to him, Sango. Even if Inuyasha manages to convince demons to end the war, there's still the problem with the human lords. You know how greedy they are now that they have the upper hand against powerful demons."

Sango nodded grimly, knowing that her husband was right as usual. She stiffened when Miroku stopped pacing and whirled around suddenly, his face set in a scowl. "Wha —" she tried to ask but was cut short with a loud crashing sound echoing in the forest. Her heart jumped to her throat, knowing that the sound came from where they had left Inuyasha and Kagome alone.

In mere seconds, they were running through the forest, Kirara a few feet in front of them. The cat demon's roars got louder with each new sound of fighting that reverberated through the forest. They stumbled out of the foliage to the clearing they had left the couple in as an anguished cry, which sounded like nothing they had heard before, rang in their ears.

The moment her eyes lay on the scene before her, Sango felt her limbs freeze, her mind too shocked to order her body to move. His name fell from her lips in a whisper, though, as if the action would pull him out of that terrifying picture, "Inuyasha." There he was, in the middle of the clearing, fallen to his knees, fruitlessly trying to get a rosary off of his neck.

It took a few seconds for her fighter's instincts to kick in, forcing her to analyze the situation they were in, and in the process, scan the scene before her completely. Inuyasha was in the middle of the field, obviously subdued by Keiko, who stood a few feet in front of the fallen half-demon with two more priestesses by her side. A dozen soldiers surrounded the area, carefully approaching the enemy with their swords drawn despite the fact that the said enemy was practically harmless. She couldn't blame them for being cautious, though, for Inuyasha was valiantly fighting against a spell that rendered other demons incapable of movement.

Hearing the low growl Kirara emitted from afar, Sango realized that the cat demon had moved to stand protectively in front of a small figure at the far end of the clearing. Standing on her knees just like Inuyasha, Kagome did not seem to be faring much better than the half-demon.

Sango's eyes flew to her husband, and the moment their gazes met, an unspoken agreement was made. Without wasting a second, Sango hurried toward Kagome. She heard Miroku's staff jingle on his way toward Inuyasha. As much as they wanted to save their friend, they couldn't do it without openly attacking Keiko and the others. Surely, Sango would have no objections to beating the hell out of Keiko after what she had done to her friends, but she knew that it wouldn't end there. Keiko was the least of their concerns now. She and Miroku had to maintain their status among humans if they hoped to help end this war in one way or the other. For now, all they could do was to let them take Inuyasha away — until they found a way to help him escape without taking the blame.

She skidded to a stop in front of Kagome's trembling form and called out her name. Receiving no response, she knelt to get a better look at the distraught woman's face. Her breath caught in her throat at the glazed over look in the usually fiery eyes of her dear friend. Panicking, Sango grabbed the younger woman's shoulders and shook her swiftly, crying out, "Kagome! Snap out of it!"

A barely audible, heart-wrenching lament fell from the woman's lips as she started rocking back and forth, her hands clutching her disheveled mane as if to tear it out. What horrified Sango the most was that no tears came out of those azure orbs. 'She has finally lost her mind!'

At a loss as to how to deal with the situation, the slayer did what she had always done to comfort her children when they needed it. She embraced her friend tightly and lovingly caressed her black tresses. While she shushed her and told her everything was going to be all right, she saw the men taking Inuyasha away. Miroku was following the group closely. The sun was about to rise. Keiko would want to take her prized captive to the security of the castle without wasting a second. Before the group was out of sight, Miroku turned to Sango, an unspoken question swimming in his eyes. She nodded in response, clutching the young woman in her arms. She would take care of Kagome while Miroku made sure the half-demon stayed alive.

* * *

Kagome watched aghast as the half-demon tugged at the beads around his neck, desperately trying to get them off. A fleeting image of the same man — no, he had been just a boy then — tugging at another set of beads, his eyes wide with bewilderment, flashed before her eyes. Those had been the beads that had tied him to her. As the image faded, her heart lurched at the sight of the alien object that claimed what was rightfully hers. She blinked, willing the terrifying picture gone. Unfortunately, the scene before her eyes was not a memory from long ago.

_This_ was real.

But, how? Why? Why did she _forget_? How _could_ she forget?

How could she forget about her mate? _Her_ mate! The one he had been trying to get back … It was _her_! It had been _her_ from the beginning! How did she believe that it had been Kikyo? But Keiko told her … Keiko!

That bitch!

Anger rose in her heart, trying to consume her conscious. It was anger toward the woman she had thought of as a friend, who had done nothing but to deceive her in the cruelest way. Anger rose over her own stupidity for letting her succeed. She had been manipulated. She had been delusional. But …

_This_ was real.

For some reason, Kagome had forgotten and had been torn away from the ones she loved the most. She could remember waking up in the hospital with her family by her side. Why didn't her family tell her the truth? Her stomach churned at the idea, but there was no denying it. The last ten years of her life had been nothing but a lie.

_This_ was real.

Her eyes focused once again on the writhing figure of Inuyasha, and she half-expected him to rise up like a phoenix, like he had done so many times before. He had always been strong — unbeatable, untouchable. He had been her indomitable protector. He had been her world and she _betrayed_ him. She betrayed her only love, her mate, the father of her children.

Her children! Where were they? The image of two shadowy figures standing in the courtyard, leading her to the well, to the Goshinboku and to Inuyasha flashed before her eyes. Her babies! She felt relief surge through her heart for a moment before it was replaced with fear. She knew she had seen them, but why hadn't she felt their presence as she usually had? The gentle caresses of their auras filled with innocence of their childhood, the unmistakable warmth that engulfed her whole being whenever they were near … Why hadn't she felt _anything_?! As if — as if they didn't _exist_. They looked the same as they had the last time she had seen them. How was that possible? It had been almost ten years. They should have grown up. Unless …

Her eyes widened with realization. There could be only one way they could be in both times but not really _be_ there, only one way for them to stay as they were for almost ten years. They were … She clasped her hair in her shaking hands and pulled in a pitiful attempt to stop her mind from coming to the undeniable conclusion. Her babies were …

… dead.

Kagome gasped as her treacherous mind so brutally completed the dreaded thought, and a pain the likes of which she had never felt before stabbed her abused heart. 'Gods! No! Please, please let this be a nightmare!' However, deep down, she knew. No matter how much she wanted it to be, this was not a cruel game of her subconscious.

This was _real_.

The continuous lament that fell from her lips in unbearable anguish was real. The ache in her heart as she rocked back and forth, praying to wake up and find her babies running around and chasing after their father merrily, was real. The coldness of her hands clutching her hair, trying to get the terrifying truth out of her mind, was real.

The disbelief mixed with the pain of betrayal and the devastating sorrow of a broken heart swirling in those golden orbs before they were obscured by the shades of the forest was _real_.

The darkness that engulfed her senses had never been more welcome as she passed out in Sango's arms.

* * *

The shadows of the forest stretched under the afternoon sun by the time the castle came into view. Extending her arm under the sleeping woman's limp form in front of her, Sango patted Kirara's neck to let the cat demon know that they needed to land soon. With a loud roar, Kirara dove toward the earth, headed to a small meadow close to the road that led to the castle. Sango supposed this was a good place to wait until Kagome came to. The meadow was surrounded by trees as well as thick foliage, making it impossible to be spotted from the dirt road. The castle was about half an hour's walk away, which was a safe distance at the moment. Sango didn't know what Keiko would do with Kagome now that she had Inuyasha captured. The young woman would pose a serious threat to the twisted priestess — that is, if she remembered who she was.

Kirara's feet touched the ground, jostling the slayer from her thoughts. Careful not to drop her unconscious friend, Sango dismounted the cat demon. Kirara lowered herself to the ground so that Sango could get Kagome off of her back. Carefully depositing her precious cargo at the base of a tree, Sango sat next to her as she took a few moments to regain her breath. Just like she had done several times in the last few hours, Kagome whimpered in her sleep, the sound stirring the slayer's concern for her dear friend. She brushed a few stray tendrils of midnight hair away from the young woman's face to see that her beauty was contorted with a frown as if she was having a nightmare. It wasn't surprising in the least considering what she had been through.

The slayer considered gathering some wood to build a fire, but quickly decided against it remembering how close they were to the road. Luckily, she had remembered to pick up her pack from the campsite after Keiko's group had left. She took out a few pieces of dried fish. It wasn't much, and it definitely wasn't enough for more than one person, but it would have to do for now. She offered some of the food to Kirara, but the demon turned her back and disappeared in the foliage. 'Well, at least she doesn't need her food cooked.'

Sighing, she took a bite from her fish and tried to feed some to her slumbering friend. It didn't take her long to accept defeat, though. Kagome wasn't waking up, and it was impossible to make her eat the solid food. So instead, Sango opted to make her drink some water.

Once the woman was finished eating her own share, Kirara emerged from the bushes, still chewing 'God-knew-what.' She couldn't help but smile at the content look on her childhood friend's fuzzy face. Transforming to her smaller form, the cat trudged toward her and perched on her lap before falling asleep almost instantly. 'Demon or not, the last two days' events must have exhausted her.'

Sango wasn't feeling any better herself. She hadn't had any sleep in the last two days. She had seen Keiko's group on their way to the castle. They were traveling fast on horseback, but it wouldn't be before nightfall that they arrived at the castle. 'It's not like I have anything else to do now.' Resigned, she leaned back against the tree's bark and let sleep claim her tired eyes.

She woke up at dawn with the first rays of sun seeping through the leaves. Kirara was already awake, lazily cleaning her paws at Kagome's feet. The said young woman still showed no signs of consciousness despite the slayer's attempts to arouse her. Sango was getting seriously worried. As far as she could tell, Kagome was not injured — at least not physically. Then, what was the problem? She should have come to several hours ago. It was as if the young priestess _didn't want_ to wake up.

She took a deep breath and let it out with a long sigh before turning to the purring kitten. "Will you look after her, Kirara?" Receiving an affirmative 'mew' in response, she stood up. With a last glance at her two companions, she left the foliage and took the road to the castle. Even though she knew Kirara would protect Kagome, she wasn't comfortable with leaving her friend in the forest. However, she had no choice given the circumstances. The soldiers must have returned by now, and she intended to find out what they were planning to do with Inuyasha.

* * *

"Will you look after her, Kirara?"

'Look after me?' Kagome mentally snorted at the concern in Sango's voice. 'Why bother?' She didn't want protection. Why would she? She didn't want anyone else to suffer because of her. Not anymore. Besides, what was the point of keeping her safe when all she wanted was to wither away?

She had been awake since before dawn. She had kept her eyes closed, wishing this cursed awareness to go away. But try as she might, she couldn't stop the agonizing thoughts from surfacing in her messed-up mind, torturing her to the point of madness, pushing her further toward the dark recesses of her meaningless existence.

'It's so dark.'

Kagome had left her mate, betrayed him. She had let him down like no one else had. How was she going to face him ever again?

'I'm alone in the darkness.'

It hadn't always been like this, had it? She once had a family — a family that no longer existed because of her. She had ruined everything. She had let her children down.

'There is nothing left. Nothing but …'

Darkness.

She had been in this darkness before, hadn't she? Long ago, when the jewel had forced her to choose. She had been all alone and scared. Just like now.

Would it ever end?

She heard Sango's footsteps retreating. A soft purr came from the kitten who was now perched on her chest, licking her face as if asking her to open her eyes. She didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to face the world. Not now, not ever. All she needed was to just curl up in a corner and wait for, for what?

Death?

Was she even alive?

She didn't know; she didn't care. Did it matter? She had been living a lie for several years. She could just as well stop living at all. Her mate, her babies, they were all lost to her. All there was left, all she could see and feel was darkness.

'Mommy!'

She stiffened as she heard an all too familiar cry in her ears. 'Reika?' Her baby girl had been talking for almost six months when she had last seen her. Kagome had been ecstatic when Reika had turned to her after her twin brother had refused to share his wooden horse, and with an adorable puppy look on her pretty face, she had cried out for her mother. She had been so innocent, so trusting. But what had her mother done? She had abandoned them.

'Mommy!'

'Raiden!' Her baby boy. He had been an exact copy of his father — a miniature Inuyasha in both appearance and attitude.

But, he was no more.

Tears streaked down her cheeks once again, leaving hot trails in their wake. The children's cries rang in her ears mercilessly, begging her to listen. They were in a better place now, weren't they? No one could harm them in heaven. But then, why wouldn't they stop crying?

She clutched the bundle in her arms and started rocking back and forth. Kirara's pleas fell on deaf ears as the distraught mother whispered incessantly, "Shush, my little angels. Don't you know? Angels do not cry."

It wasn't long before she was drained of tears. She sagged against the tree behind her, feeling completely exhausted. Her children were dead. Her mate had been taken. And that wasn't all. How many people had come to harm because of her? She had brought the jewel into this world, and countless innocents had been slain after she had shattered it, including Sango's kin and Shippo's parents. No matter how much she tried, in the end, she had brought doom to her loved ones, hadn't she? Perhaps it could have been better for everyone if she hadn't fallen down the well in the first place and hadn't met him.

'Inuyasha, please forgive me.' With that last coherent thought, Kagome let sleep claim her.

* * *

The first thing Inuyasha noticed as he slowly waded into consciousness was the weight in his lungs. Why did it hurt so much to breathe? He took the cold, damp air into his lungs and almost gagged at the sickening scent of blood — his blood — and the scent of his rotting flesh. It was so quiet; he couldn't hear anything other than his own shallow breathing, the slow beat of his heart and the occasional clink of shackles.

'Shackles?'

Two golden orbs slowly emerged from under heavy eyelids as he opened his eyes with much difficulty. His gaze focused on the pool of blood beneath his feet. He could see his life's essence still flowing down his chest from the deep gashes on his flesh. His hakama was drenched in it, its normally brilliant red color darkened to the point of black. How was it that he still had blood to shed?

He looked up to see that he was alone. Moss covered stone walls surrounded the large room illuminated by a few torches. Three marble altars lay in the middle of the room, their smooth surfaces stained with old blood. Empty shackles hung on the walls, shining ominously in the dim light. How long had he been chained in this God forsaken place? It felt like an eternity, but it could as well be a few hours. He tried to move his arms, but it was impossible to do so with the metal bindings on his wrists keeping them glued to the wall. A soft tug on his feet proved that they were bound to the wall as well. He growled in frustration. 'Fucking dungeons. That fucking bitch!'

He could have shattered his chains if he hadn't been so damn tired. He had managed to resist the pull of the spell they had cast on him so far, which infuriated the bitch to no end — resulting in more physical torture on his part. The half-demon might be captured and collared like a fucking animal, but he would die before he let anyone order him around like a helpless puppet. 'No fucking way.' Unfortunately, his defiance was taking its toll on his strength. A bitter smile curved his lips as he let his head fall down when it turned out to be too much of an effort to hold it up.

Pain. That was all he could feel. Every inch of his body throbbed with pain — his wrists, his chest, his legs, his feet — and with every breath he took, his whole being crumpled in agony. Most of all, his heart hurt but that was to be expected. The only one he loved and trusted betrayed him and let the enemy take him away.

Why did it hurt so much to be betrayed? He should have become used to it by now, shouldn't he? A mirthless chuckle left his lips at that thought. Obviously, one didn't get used to betrayal.

It could have been so easy if that had been the case. But, nothing was easy when it came to him. His life had been a huge battle from the moment he had been born. Why was he still alive? He should have died years ago. Perhaps it would have been better if Kikyo's arrow had killed him instead of sealing him. 'Damn fucking right.'

But then, he wouldn't have met Kagome and wouldn't have opened his eyes to see her beautiful face vibrant with confusion and fear. He wouldn't have tasted her temper, wouldn't have seen her smile.

'Her smile … I always wished it would be the last thing I would see before I die. I guess it wasn't meant to be.' Feeling all the fight leave him, the jaded warrior drifted into a restless sleep.

_

* * *

Wind caressed her hair softly, and Kagome opened her eyes to see the Goshinboku standing tall and proud as it had been for hundreds of years. Its leaves danced in the sunlight, calling for her, whispering promises she couldn't quite decipher. Her eyes traveled down to the large trunk of the ancient tree on their own accord to rest on the one place without bark. She could almost see his beautiful figure there, sealed in a timeless sleep. This was where she had first laid eyes on him. How did she forget about that? He had looked so innocent, so otherworldly, like a fallen angel. 'My guardian angel.'_

_She stepped forward and raised her hand to rest it on the small pit Kikyo's arrow had left on the trunk — the arrow she had freed him from on the day her world had turned upside down. Would it have been indeed better if she hadn't lived that day? She caressed the smooth surface that was the proof of the injustice he had suffered from. True, many people wouldn't have died if she had never come here. But then, she wouldn't have met him. What would have happened to him if Mistress Centipede had not dragged her down the well? Would he still be sealed in the Goshinboku when she was born or would he have perished in time? She shuddered at that thought. Both options seemed to be cruel. Perhaps the question was, after everything she had put him through, what would he have preferred?_

_Inuyasha didn't remember how he got here or when. All he knew was that he opened his eyes, and she was there. Anger bubbled up in him and he wanted to lash out at her for leaving him — for betraying him. But the look in her eyes as she touched the tree had stopped him from doing so. He could almost feel the soft caresses of her fingers on his chest, soothing the cries of his broken heart, mending it once more with a single touch. How could he stay angry at her when she looked like that? So sad, so broken and yet still beautiful. How did he think that she betrayed him in the first place? She hadn't known. It was his fault as well that she had come to the wrong conclusions. Did he have a right to blame her for being misguided? 'No.'_

_Unable to keep his silence anymore, he called out to her, "Kagome?"_

_With a startled gasp, she whirled around. Her eyes widened a fraction when their gazes clashed before rimming with tears. 'Inuyasha.' He looked exactly like she remembered him to be — strong, proud and handsome. The only difference was the desperation swimming in his golden eyes — eyes that had instilled courage into her heart in the darkest of hours. He was her guardian angel. He was her pillar of strength. How come she hadn't realized how much she needed him until now?_

_The soft smile that graced his lips warmed her grieving heart as he extended his hand, beckoning her closer. The tug of his soul on hers was so strong, she found herself drawn to him. His embrace was the safest place she had ever known. There was no fear of danger, no worries and no regrets in his arms. But, did she have the right to seek solace from the one she had hurt so much? 'No.' Recoiled, she took a step back, putting more distance between them when all she wanted to do was run to his arms._

_Her action startled him. She was withdrawing from him. Although he wished he didn't, he knew why. He could see it clearly on her face. But, he had to hear her say it, so he asked, "Wench, what the hell do you think you're doing?"_

"_I …" She hesitated. What was she doing? 'I'm trying to protect you from myself,' was what she wanted to say, but instead, she shook her head and whispered, "Nothing."_

_He snorted at the not so unexpected answer. Of course, she wouldn't accept it easily. She never had. With a knowing smirk on his face, he voiced what she couldn't, "You're running away again, aren't you?"_

"_No!" she protested without thinking. "I just …" She wasn't running away, was she? No. "I …" Then why couldn't she explain it? What would you call it other than running away? She was tired — too tired to deal with the consequences of her mistakes. She was afraid of having to live with her new found burdens. She _was_ running away. He was right. She turned her gaze to the ground in shame as she confessed, "I guess, in a way I am."_

"_Keh!" Folding his arms into the sleeves of his haori, he turned to look at the ancient tree instead of her. It was rare that he would win an argument with her, but still, he couldn't stand to see her so downhearted. "Stupid, you never change," he murmured._

_Her head shot up at his accusation, and she shouted, "You don't understand!" He didn't. How could he? He wasn't the one that ruined everything. He wasn't the one that caused his own children's … She couldn't finish that thought. She couldn't go on like this. She couldn't even look at his face. "This is too much." Her words died in her throat and she flinched when his head snapped in her direction. She could feel his fiery gaze burning holes into her skull when he shouted. _

"I_ don't understand?!" Inuyasha was livid. How could she assume such a thing? "You always run away when things get too much to bear!" He knew she was strong, but when it came down to him, she would hide and wallow in self-pity instead of stay and fight, and it drove him crazy. She had done it when Kikyo had been around. She was doing it again, albeit for a different reason. He was aware that she couldn't look at him in the eye. He knew that feeling very well. Guilt would eat you alive. He had lived with it for more than enough time to kill anyone, but he survived. She would survive as well. She had to because she wasn't alone in this. She wasn't the only one hurting, dammit! Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he continued in a much calmer voice, "What about _me_, Kagome? Do you think it's fucking easy for me? Do you realize that you leave me behind every fucking time you run away?"_

_He sighed before admitting to something he had never done before. "I'm tired." Letting his hands fall to his sides, he turned to face her completely. "I'm tired of carrying these burdens. I'm tired of waiting." When she finally met his gaze, he saw the unshed tears glistening in the sapphire orbs he adored so much, and he whispered as he extended his hand to her once more, "Please, don't make me wait anymore."_

'_Gods, I never knew how much it hurt him every time I left him behind.' She had thought he would have been better off without her, but apparently, that wasn't the case. "Inuyasha." His name fell from her lips like a prayer — a prayer to be forgiven — and she reached for his hand only to have her smaller one grasped firmly. In that moment, she knew that the hold of his strong fingers around hers — this connection they had — was the beacon they both needed in the darkest of hours._

_She gasped when he tugged her forward and hugged her to his chest. She couldn't stop her tears from falling this time as he whispered the words she had heard a long time ago, in the same place and from the same man. "I need you with me, Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?"_

_Burying her head to his chest, she fisted his haori in her hands and murmured, "I'm sorry."_

_He tightened his hold on her reassuringly. "Now is not the time to be sorry. It's time to be strong, to fight."_

'_Time to be strong for the ones that I love.' Knowing that he was right, she squeezed his waist in response and nodded against his chest. _

_He kissed her temple before whispering in her ear, "I can't go on anymore. Not without _you_."_

_Loosening his hold on her, he put his finger under her chin and raised her head to meet his gaze. He smiled softly at her tear-streaked face and whispered, "I'll wait for you."_

_His image started to fade as well as his warmth surrounding her, and she felt coldness seep into her bones despite the sun shining through the branches of the God tree. Before he disappeared completely, she saw in his eyes what he did not voice out loud._

"… _for the last time."_

* * *

Kagome bolted upright, sending the unsuspecting kitten perched on her chest flying to the ground with a sharp cry. Her heart fell when she realized the one she had expected to see wasn't around. 'It was a dream.' But, it had felt so real. She could still feel the caress of his breath on her ear, the reassuring thumps of his heart beneath her hand, his comforting embrace surrounding her. However, as his memory faded to be replaced by the harshness of reality, she found herself cornered by her loneliness, hunted by her regrets lurking in the dark recesses of her mind, waiting to strike her down in the shadows.

"_Now is not the time to be sorry. It's time to be strong, to fight."_

His words rang in her ears, keeping her from falling back into depression. No. She didn't have the right to drown herself in her grief. Not now. She wasn't a weak little girl — she hadn't been for a long time. She couldn't wait to be rescued from the darkness. This time, Inuyasha was not coming for her. This time, there was nobody to save her. This time, she had to be the one that saved her loved ones.

"_I can't go on anymore. Not without you."_

She didn't have a right to give up. Not when he needed her. She wasn't going to let him down this time. First, she would save him, and then there would come a time they would mourn for their loss together, side by side. That is, if he could forgive her.

"_I'll wait for you."_

Dream or not, it was true. Despite everything she had done, he had waited for her and was still waiting for her. She wasn't going to disappoint him.

Squaring her shoulders, Kagome stood up.

* * *

Inuyasha woke up feeling rejuvenated. Had it been a dream? It had felt so real. Did it matter? All that mattered was that he knew he would live through everything again if it meant he would see her smile once more.

His ears perked up at the sound of the door opening. Looking up through his eyelashes, he saw the red robes of a priestess before his gaze settled on the veil covering her face. He could practically see her beaming behind the white curtain at the sight of his slumped form. She was obviously thinking that she could break him this time. Closing his eyes, he tiredly sighed, knowing what was to come.

He was exhausted but he wasn't going to let her spell claim him. He wasn't going to give up. Not when _she_ was finally back. And he knew, he just knew that she was alive. That was all he needed to survive. Yes, he was going to survive. He had to get out of there. He had to make sure his mate was safe. After all, she was all that he had left.

'Kagome. Please be safe,' was his last thought before he braced himself for the oncoming pain as the hated priestess approached him with a dagger in her hand.

* * *

Kagome peeked through the bushes to see the castle standing ominously at the end of the dirt path. The gates were securely closed with two soldiers standing guard in front of them. There was no other entrance visible, which meant that she would have to convince the guards to let her in. But before that, she had to pass through the spiritual barrier surrounding the castle walls.

She sighed and turned to look at the kitten perched on her shoulder. "This is it, Kirara. I need to go in there alone. Will you do me a favor?" she whispered. When the cat mewled her response, she continued, "I want you to wait here until midnight, and if I don't come back, I want you to go to Sesshoumaru. Tell him what happened, okay? Will you do that for me?" Kirara showed her assent with a few wet licks on the young woman's cheek. Chuckling softly, she set the kitten down. "Try not to be discovered." With that, she stood up and stepped onto the path, leaving the cover of bushes and her companion behind.

As she approached the gates, Kagome could see the barrier shimmering in the sunlight just a few feet away. Closing her eyes, she whispered a silent prayer before stepping into the field of energy. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised when she passed through the barrier easily. But, the fact was that she was. It seemed that she had been expecting everything to go against her wishes. Perhaps, she could allow more hope to blossom in her heart. 'Yes.' She smiled before pacing toward the guards, her head held high with renewed confidence, her fingers closed around the precious set of beads in her obi.

* * *

In front of the castle gates, a young soldier sighed heavily as he leaned against the wooden structure. Securing his spear at the crook of his arm, he glanced at his middle-aged companion with stars in his eyes. "I'm telling you, Ichiro, that Hana is something else. You should have seen how she rolled her hips when she …"

"Shut up, Kenji!" shouted the older man before his companion finished his words. As if he needed to hear that … Why did he have to share his post with Kenji all the time? Surely, he liked the young man enough to stand his blabbering for hours, but he couldn't stop himself from overreacting whenever the conversation turned to the horny lad's nightly escapades. It had been months since he had last seen his wife, and he was in no condition to listen to others' adventures with the women from the infamous street of the town. Surely, he could seek pleasure in other women's arms, but he loved his wife and had no intention of dishonoring her. If only he could find a way to visit his village … However, that seemed unlikely as long as this damned war lasted.

'Fucking demons, I wish all of them just disappeared forever.' He knew that he wasn't the only one looking forward to the end of this decade-long war. Everyone needed a break and some of them didn't bother hiding their displeasure. They were close to a rebellion. The lords were walking on thin ice by insisting on fighting demons and they knew it. However, a minority of the warriors were still aware that they had no choice but to fight as long as the demons were a threat to the safety of their families.

He was brought back from his musings by Kenji's chirpy voice. "Relax, man, I was just trying to cheer you up!"

"Just keep it to yourself," he grumbled in irritation and added firmly, "I don't care what you do with your dick."

"Yeah, whatever," murmured Kenji before turning to look ahead. "Holy shit! Ichiro?"

Sighing exasperatedly, Ichiro glanced at his companion who seemed to be excited for whatever reason. "What is it now?"

"Do you see what I see, or did I just die and go to heaven?"

Looking in the direction his friend was gazing at with wide brown eyes, Ichiro saw a young woman walking toward them on the dirt path leading to the castle. 'Figures.' Only such a sight could get such a reaction from the wolfish guard. Despite his amusement, he couldn't help but wonder how a human woman managed to approach the gates without them noticing until now. Some guards they were. His concerns were forgotten when he glimpsed back at Kenji. He snickered at the young soldier's gaping mouth before whispering, "Don't worry, you're still alive."

"Well, I'll be damned," mumbled Kenji before whistling appreciatively. "This must be my lucky day."

Chuckling at the boy's antics, Ichiro turned to inspect the newcomer more closely. The elegant green kimono she wore suggested that this woman was of royalty — perhaps a princess. However, her clothes looked somehow disheveled, as if she had been lying around in them for a few days. That wasn't something a princess would do. He didn't know if she was indeed royalty, but with dark ebony tresses falling down to her waist in luscious waves, large azure orbs framed by long, dark eyelashes shimmering brightly above full, cherry lips, she looked very beautiful.

The woman stopped in front of them and gave them a polite smile. Before Ichiro could ask about her business, Kenji exclaimed, "What brings such a lovely young lady as yourself to this place?"

Meeting the grinning guard's eager gaze with a calm one, she answered, "I want to talk to Lady Keiko."

Forcing a more serious look to his face, Kenji didn't waste a second to reject her demand, surprising even Ichiro by the sternness in his voice. "Sorry, beautiful, but we can't let anyone in simply because they request to see the high priestess."

She raised her eyebrows at the young soldier and reached inside her obi, but before she could take out whatever she had hidden in there, Kenji continued, his grin returning to his face full force, "Of course, that doesn't mean you cannot convince me otherwise." He left his barely concealed indecent proposal hanging as he blatantly checked her out. Sudden anger flashed in her eyes before she masked it with a softer look and took something out from the confines of her obi.

"Do you know what this is?" she asked. Unable to tear his eyes away from the dark object dangling from her delicate fingers, Ichiro nodded dumbly. How could he not recognize the very thing that had made the formidable demon general twice as dangerous? Pleased that at least one of them knew the importance of the treasure she had in her clutches, she turned to Ichiro and directed her next words to him. "I had a deal with Lady Keiko and I'm here to receive my payment. I'll appreciate it if you would be kind enough to take me to her."

This woman had something that belonged to the general, which meant she was somehow close to him. Surely, the general was captured, but the fact that she carried the artifact that had made the general almost invincible could not be ignored. Besides, she could be the woman that had run away from the castle with the half-demon a few weeks ago. They couldn't let her go and they couldn't let her walk in the castle freely. Seizing her could be the chance Ichiro had been hoping for to be awarded and to see his family. Not wanting to lose this opportunity, he answered, "I'll take you to her."

"Thanks." The woman nodded enthusiastically as she clasped her hands in front of her, her fingers clutching the necklace firmly. As he turned to the gate, his eyes landed on the grumbling Kenji for a moment. He raised an eyebrow at the disappointment written on his features before opening the gate.

She followed him to the main building without questioning. Once inside, he led her to the steps leading to the dungeons. When they reached the bottom of the steps, he noticed with surprise that the soldiers that were supposed to be guarding the entrance of the floor were missing. 'Idiots! Were the hell are they?' Perhaps he should have their irresponsibility known after locking the girl in, and his award would be guaranteed this way.

His pondering was cut short hearing the woman talk for the first time since they entered the grounds. "Are you sure this is where Keiko is?"

"Yes, my lady. She's visiting a prisoner here." That wasn't far from the truth. The high priestess was probably visiting the general down here, and if not, she would be visiting another prisoner soon once she received word of his achievement. "This way." Opening the door of a cell, he let her step through the doorway first.

She looked inside and turned to face him, suspicion swirling n her sapphire orbs. "But, there is no one in here."

He took a hold of her arm and forced her in. "She'll be here any moment. You just wait inside."

"What are you doing? Let me go!" She struggled against his hold with surprising strength. As he grabbed her other arm to push her in, he saw her gaze settle on something behind him and her eyes widen. A sharp pain on his neck was the last thing he felt before everything went black.

* * *

In a dark cell not far from the steps leading to the dungeons, the dark figure of a man clad in black from head to toe grunted as he fastened a thick rope around an unconscious soldier's feet while a similarly dressed woman kept watch at the door. Inuyasha had been brought here the moment they had arrived at the castle last night. He had tried to check on the half-demon several times, but Keiko made sure that nobody was allowed into the dungeons. Just what had she been doing in there? He didn't think she had killed him. She wouldn't still be here otherwise. However, as time passed, Miroku's concerns were growing more and more for his friend's life.

After Sango had arrived in the morning, telling him that she had left an unconscious Kagome under Kirara's care, they had decided that it was time to take risk for their friend's welfare. He didn't want to be caught or accused of helping the enemy, but neither could he risk losing Inuyasha. So, they had made a show of leaving the castle in pretense of heading for their village.

They had stopped and changed their clothes once they had been a safe distance away. It had been past noon when they had made a half-circle around the castle and reached the back side of the grounds. It was a good thing to have a slayer wife who had her own ways to climb straight walls. Entering the main building had been difficult, especially in the daylight, but they had managed thanks to their years of experience in such situations and their immense knowledge of the building they were breaking into.

Sunset had been close the last time he had seen the sky before sneaking into the dungeons and attacking the guards, but that would work to their advantage once they would need to whisk a prisoner off the grounds. And then, there was the problem of passing through the barrier with a half-demon on their side. Well, they would think about that once they got to that point.

He was almost finished gagging the bound guards when he heard Sango whisper, "Miroku! I hear footsteps. Someone's headed this way."

Quickly checking the two guards' binds to make sure that his hard work paid off, he approached the door silently. Sango had closed the door, leaving it a crack open, letting a thin line of torchlight seep into the dark cell from the hall. Standing behind his wife, he peeked through the small space, his chin resting on top of Sango's masked head.

"Are you sure this is where Keiko is?" He had to stifle a gasp as he heard Kagome's voice. He felt his wife stiffen in front of him as they watched their friend who was supposed to be in the forest with Kirara pass by with an armed soldier on her side.

"Yes, my lady. She's visiting a prisoner here," replied the soldier once they were out of sight. Opening the door carefully, they stepped out to the hall silently.

"This way," said the soldier as he opened the door of a cell. As they sneaked upon the pair, their backs brushing against the stone walls, Kagome looked inside the cell and turned to the soldier. "But, there is no one in here."

The impudent man grabbed her arm and forced her inside, telling her to wait there. That was all it took to infuriate Sango. Throwing caution out of the window, the slayer launched at the unsuspecting soldier with the stealth of a real assassin. He heard Kagome shout at the man to let go before he saw Sango's forearm connect with the back of the guy's neck. His unconscious body fell to the floor, leaving a fuming slayer and a stunned priestess looking at each other.

"Kagome? What are you doing here?" whispered Sango as she hugged her friend, who visibly stiffened at the sight of the duo.

Once Sango let her go, the younger woman took a step back as if their proximity was bothering her and turned cold eyes to the slayer. "What does it look like? I'm here to save Inuyasha."

"Have you lost your mind? It's too dangerous for you to be here!" Sango whispered vehemently.

Her eyes burning with anger, Kagome clenched her fists at her sides and retorted, "I don't care! He's my mate! I have to get him out of here!"

Taken aback, Sango's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open in surprise. A moment later, a huge smile crept into her face. "You remember."

"Yeah, I do…," trailed off the priestess before her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are _you_ doing?"

"Why, rescuing our friend, or course," answered Miroku, who had just returned to the hall from binding the soldier in the cell he had tried to lock Kagome in. He fastened the door on the unconscious man as he explained, "They wouldn't let us enter, so we had to do it discreetly."

Kagome snorted before she commented, "So, you came back to your senses." Her voice held a bitterness that chilled the monk to the bone. "May I ask why you betrayed him in the first place?"

The couple glanced at each other guiltily. Sighing, Miroku took it upon himself to postpone the inevitable discussion. "We'll talk about it later. Now, we need to hurry and find him before we get caught."

"Right." Kagome's eyes fell on the sword at his waist, and its name fell from her lips in a breathy whisper, "Tetsusaiga."

The monk nodded as he extracted the sword from his belt. "I took it before they bound him in the forest."

She extended her hand to Miroku, who handed her the sword without a second thought. She caressed the wooden sheath lovingly before hugging it to her chest and meeting their gazes with a determined glint in her azure orbs. "Let's go."

They took no more than two steps when they heard a distant cry echo in the halls.

"You bitch! I swear I'm going to kill you!"

That didn't sound good. Whatever was happening, Inuyasha was enraged. At least, now they were sure that he was still alive. They set out, checking every cell on their way. It took them a while to reach the deepest part of the dungeons with still no trace of the half-demon. Once they turned the last corner, they saw light seeping through the crack under the closed door of a cell. They hurried down the hall and stopped in front of the wooden door. Seeing shadows moving inside, Kagome took the lead, and approaching the door carefully, she silently opened it.

The scene that met their eyes shook Miroku to the core, but he managed to get out of sight, taking Sango with him while Kagome stood still as a stone at the doorway.

* * *

Inuyasha's head fell down in exhaustion, and his knees gave out under him, causing the shackles to cut through his wrists. Red was all he could see with his half-lidded eyes. Her hakama was red. The ground was red. The blood oozing from the cuts on his chest and abdomen and flowing down to mix with the pool beneath his feet was red. The angry scars left by her whip on his arms and sides were red. Red was his world now.

The color of consuming fire, of devastating war, of endless destruction …

The color of feverish passion, of warm love, of beautiful roses, of sweet cherries …

The color of Kagome's lips.

His eyes snapped open, his gaze focusing on the veiled figure before him with such hatred swirling in them. The startled woman couldn't help but to gasp at the sight. He wasn't going to give up as long as he still had a single drop of blood in his veins. "Wh-what …" He clenched his teeth, struggling to get the words out against the pressure of the subduing spell. "… did you do …" Sweat rolled down his temple — or was it blood? — as he gritted his teeth. "… to my pups?"

A small smile curved her lips upward at his stubbornness. "You never give up, do you?" Sighing, she continued, "I never had anything against your children. But, I couldn't have them around as a reminder of their mother. Besides, they needed to be silenced. You know, I felt uneasy about it at first. That was, of course, until you showed me your real face, your true nature. Thanks to you, my conscious is completely clear now. Your children, Inuyasha, will never grow to be a monster like you." A vicious growl ripped from his throat, and her smile was back on her face. "Don't worry, though. They didn't feel any pain."

His eyes prickled as the meaning behind those cruel words registered to his mind. He felt as if the ground suddenly disappeared from beneath his feet. With his hands clasped into fists and blood oozing from the cuts his claws inflicted on his palms, he shouted, "You bitch! I swear I'm going to kill you!"

She chuckled at his outburst. "What is it, demon? Are you crying?" she asked mockingly.

He glared at her, golden orbs sharp with the accumulated rage of a lifetime, directed solely at the twisted creature before him. "No," he managed to hiss.

"Oh? I think you should. You should cry for everything you have done during your cursed existence and beg for forgiveness."

He snorted.

Keiko shook her head tiredly. "I should have known you were incapable of such acts. After all, animals do not have a conscience." Hearing his menacing growl, she sighed disappointedly. "Well, then, perhaps this will help …" Her words trailing off, she approached him with a dagger in her hand.

He didn't even blink as she cut his cheeks in cold blood. He wouldn't cry out or beg for mercy as she had done years ago. No. Instead, he clenched his teeth and concentrated on not whimpering at the pain. Beneath the sting on his flesh, he could feel wetness drip down his jaw only to join the river of blood on his chest.

He wanted to kill her. He _needed_ to kill her. If it wasn't for that damn spell … The fucking thing was draining all the strength he had left. His eyes closed on their own accord as his head dropped. His ears twitched at the faint sound of the door opening, but try as he might, he couldn't open his eyes. He was too tired.

* * *

Kagome's heart had leaped to her throat when she had heard his cry. They had searched almost every cell in this God forsaken place. She had looked and looked, each passing second threatening to consume what was left of her sanity. She was about to pull her hair out in frustration when they were met with a thin line of light seeping through the door of a cell. Praying that this was the place they had been searching for, she paced to the door, distantly aware of Sango and Miroku following close by. Holding the Tetsusaiga in one hand, Kagome silently opened the door with the other.

On the far end of the dimly lit room was the figure of a man bound to the stone wall with iron shackles. His arms were bound at his sides, parallel to the ground; his white hair fanned on the wall behind him and under his arms like wings — wings that would carry him to the heavens and away from the pool of blood beneath his bare feet.

A fallen angel …

Her guardian angel …

She stood frozen, mortified and mesmerized at the same time. He looked so otherworldly — a twisted picture of beauty materialized. Tears of blood trailed down his cheeks, reminding her of another image from another lifetime. But, something was terribly wrong with this picture.

'Angels do not cry.'

Movement caught her attention from the corner of her eye, snapping her out of her reverie. Her gaze settled on Keiko, who was blissfully unaware of their presence. She was approaching him with a sword in her hand, its tip smoldering like lava. At that moment, something shifted in Kagome. _This_ was the woman she had called her friend. _This_ was the woman she had trusted with her secrets. She had welcomed her into her home and shared meals with her. She had taught her how to use her powers, only to have them used against herself. Keiko had been the last person she had seen in this world before she had opened her eyes in the hospital. That bitch had done something to her. She could vaguely remember walking toward the well with Keiko by her side, whispering for her to let go, to forget. That cunning snake had tricked her and betrayed her trust. And now, as if what she had already done was not enough, she was hurting Inuyasha. And, she had hurt her children.

Her eyes narrowed down to slits and an impressive growl escaped her throat as the pain she had barely suppressed for the last few hours resurfaced, bringing a blinding rage along with it. Fists clenched on the sheathed sword in her hands, she launched at the priestess who had turned toward her. The sword in Keiko's hand hung in the air, forgotten in her surprise. In the blink of an eye, Kagome swung the Tetsusaiga like a baseball bat and rendered the shocked woman unarmed.

Letting go of the precious sword, Kagome backhanded the high priestess, who had been clutching her abused hand to her chest, and shouted, "You bitch!" Keiko had to take a few steps back under the force of the raving woman's attack.

Without letting the high priestess recover, Kagome backhanded her again as she shouted, "How could you?"

This time, the stunned priestess fell on her back. Not wasting a second, her attacker straddled her waist, incredulity mixing with unsuppressed fury as Kagome hissed, "How _dare_ you?"

She took Keiko's veil off and forced the woman to meet her gaze. "Look at me!" she ordered when the traitor stubbornly kept her eyes averted.

"I trusted you!" Holding her shoulders, the young woman shook the priestess, whom she had once thought to be her friend, harshly and caused her head to hit the floor in the process. Keiko passed out upon a rather hard impact, but Kagome was too far gone to notice.

Getting up, she started kicking Keiko in the stomach and shouted, "Traitor!" Tears flowed down her cheeks as her feet continued to land on Keiko's body with enough force to jerk her unconscious form.

"Kagome!" Seeing her cry fall on deaf ears, Sango seized the enraged woman's arms against her sides and dragged her away from the fallen priestess.

Still lost in her fury, Kagome struggled against Sango's hold. "Let me go! I'll kill her!" Turning her head to glare at the slayer, her eyes fell on the bloody figure still chained to the wall. "Inuyasha!"

Shaking off the slayer's hold, Kagome ran to the barely conscious half-demon. She stopped in front of him, her eyes wide in horror. He was covered with cuts and bruises, his hakama drenched in his blood. He didn't seem to have a fatal injury, but the amount of blood everywhere suggested he had been bleeding for a long time. He must have been brutally tortured for his wounds to stay open for hours.

She whimpered at the sight of the gashes marring his beautiful face. This was the boy she didn't have the heart to hurt — really hurt — despite everything he had put her through, the man she wanted to cherish forever and the half-demon that deserved all the love in the world. How could anyone do _this_ to him? How? How could anyone be so ignorant, so ruthless, so cruel, so, so …

… heartless?

Following the crimson trails on his face down, Kagome spotted the new set of beads around his neck. Her trembling fingers hovered over his abused skin, afraid to make contact. A sob escaped her throat forcefully. She couldn't touch him. What if she hurt him worse? Slowly, careful not to brush his cuts, she took the rosary in her shaky fingers. Nothing would hurt him anymore. She was here to protect, to cherish and to make amends. A flash of light filled her vision for a moment before he was back in her sight, her empty hand resting lightly on his free neck.

Raising her hands, she caressed the uninjured sides of his face before she looked up. Gold met sapphire, and time stopped to honor their reunion.

In the mean time, Sango had found the keys hidden in Keiko's robes and thrown them to Miroku, who quickly unlocked Inuyasha's binds. His arms fell around her shoulders and they both collapsed to their knees.

Not taking her eyes off of his, Kagome kissed the gashes on his cheeks. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Please, forgive me."

"Don't," he whispered back before he kissed her softly, ignoring the crimson now coating her lips. He rested his forehead against hers and continued, "cry."

Gold disappeared behind creased lids as he scrunched his eyes shut, a groan leaving his throat involuntarily. When they opened back, gold was replaced with smoke, and with a louder moan, he passed out in her arms.

Kagome let out a shaky breath she didn't know she had been holding. A long, moonless night was waiting for them.

End of Chapter 14

* * *

End Notes:

Reika: lovely flower

Raiden: thunder and lightening


	15. Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Since the characters are borrowed and this story can be read free of charge, I do not make any monetary gains by writing it.

**Author's notes:**

(1) Heartless won Best Drama (1st place – tie) and Best Darcfic (2nd place – tie) in IYFG's 1st Quarter 2009 awards. It also won Best Drama (2nd place – tie) and Best Angst Fiction (3rd place – tie) in Feudal Association's 2009 March Fan-Fiction votings. A big thank you to those who voted for this story and an even bigger one to (in alphabetical order) Ai Kisugi, inustrugrl, inuyashaloverr, and JRMaxwell for nominating and/or seconding it. I finally had the chance to express my thanks because of my lack of updates over the last few months. And that brings us to my second note.

(2) My deepest apologies to those who have been patiently waiting for this update. The last few months have been hectic for me. First, I spent a lot of time editing Heartless and When She Comes Back along with my betas. Then one day, I learned that I had to go back to my home country for visa issues. The following day I was flying across the ocean with my husband. I spent a few months there, and during this time, I was unable to write. When we returned, we spent considerable time moving and settling to our new home. Luckily, now I'm all settled and have the time to write to my heart's content. Wow. That was a long story. ^_^

(3) Finally, I'd like to let you know that I am NOT a native English speaker and am proud of having the ability to write in my second language and the courage to share my work. However, due to my still limited language skills, you might have been exposed to grammatical errors and expressions that are 'unnatural' in the earlier chapters. Luckily, I have a few wonderful betas now, and you should be protected from such unforgivable errors. Nevertheless, if you still find errors in this piece and want to voice your opinions, you're more than welcome to join my beta team.

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_Special thanks to each of my lovely betas Ai Kisugi, Hedanicree and MadMistress65 for the wonderful job they did in editing this chapter on such short notice._

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**Warning: Mention of (past) torture, lots of blood, labor cramps, violence, angst, profanity, WAFF, and explicit descriptions of sexual activities. Pardon me if I've forgotten anything. ^_^**

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dreams or memories_

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The scripts in _ITALICS_ are the events of the PAST, and they start from the last chapter of the manga, whereas the REGULAR scripts pertain to the PRESENT and continue from where the last chapter of Heartless (Chapter 14: Angels Do Not Cry) left off.

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Raiden: Thunder and lightening, Reika: Lovely flower

**Chapter 15: Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again**

_Kagome sighed in relief as the familiar magic welcomed her with gentle caresses against her aura. It felt as if an eternity had passed before her feet touched the earthen base of the dry well._

_She was back._

_The girl looked up from the dark walls to see the azure sky hovering above the lid of the ancient structure. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It had been three years since she had filled her lungs with such fresh air. In fact, it had been three years since she had felt herself really breathe — since she had felt _alive_._

_She supposed she hadn't changed much. How could she? She had been like a statue, standing on the sidelines and watching time pass as her heart and mind was stuck in another place, in another time. No, she hadn't changed at all. She was still the same girl, madly in love with the unlikely hero of a fairy tale — a fairy tale she had literally fallen into. One could call it an accident or destiny; she'd rather go with the latter, but did it really matter? Even though she wasn't a princess and he wasn't exactly 'charming,' she loved him more than she loved herself. And nothing could change that. Not even time._

_However, time passed in this world as well._

_She opened her eyes slowly. The sky was the same, so were the stone walls. What else stayed untouched? Was she being a fool for wishing that the people she knew hadn't changed? She probably was. If anything changed in time, it was the people. How much had she missed while she had been away?_

_Were her friends still around? Was Kaede still alive? Was _he_ still here? Had he lingered in this place or had he moved on? Would it be fair of her to wish that he had stayed? Her eyes pricked at that thought. No, it wouldn't be fair to him. But, what else did she have other than the little hope fluttering in her heart?_

_Nothing._

_Perhaps, she was going to lose that as well once she climbed out of the well. But, she didn't have a choice. She had already waited too long. Gathering her courage, the girl from the future took one more deep breath and squared her shoulders. Praying for the best, she took hold of a vine hanging on the wall._

_Kagome had climbed half-way up when she heard the faint swish of clothes from above. She froze, her hands clutching the vine hard enough to leave her knuckles white as chalk. Someone was out there. She could hear their shaky but rapid breathing. Could it be…? Her breathing increased with anticipation. Her heart thundered in her chest, threatening to break out of its cage._

_She looked up, hoping to catch a glimpse of crimson, wishing to be blinded by moonlight and sunshine. Her azure orbs glistened with moisture when all she could see was the empty sky. Perhaps, she had heard wrong. Perhaps, there was no one out there._

_No one had come to welcome her._

_No one was waiting for her._

_All thoughts came to a halt along with the rest of the world when, out of nowhere, a hand appeared above her head. An all too familiar hand reached down the lid of the well, shining like a beacon when everything else went dark. A strong, calloused and _clawed_ hand…_

_Her heart stopped beating._

_Birds stopped singing._

_The world stopped spinning._

_In a daze, she reached up and held onto the savior of her fragile hopes. Butterflies took off in her stomach when she was hauled out of the well in one swift move only to come face to face with no one other than _him.

_Sapphire met gold for an endless moment, and all Kagome could think of was that he was there, that he had waited. After what felt like an eternity, she managed to whisper, "Inuyasha, I'm sorry. Were you waiting?"_

"_Kagome."_

_The sound of her name falling from his lips warmed her heart, soothed the lingering pang of separation and scattered away the remnants of her fears. Gods, how much she had missed him — his reassuring presence, his unrivaled stubbornness that showed itself even in his unruly hair, the childish joy that would light up his face before he could mask it with indifference. How had she survived without him? 'I was a baka for fearing anything else other than losing him, for letting myself be devoid of him.'_

_The truth was that she had let her fears come between them. She had always been afraid that he would not choose her in the end, that he would not let Kikyo go and that he would leave her. Ironically, _she_ had been the one to make that choice, albeit unconsciously; _she_ had been the one to leave _him_. All because she had been afraid to be left alone if she had let go of her family; she hadn't been ready to choose him. And in the end, _she_ had left _him_ alone… for three years. But…_

…he_ had waited._

_Molten gold swirled and gleamed as she watched the parade of emotions in those eyes she loved so much. He embraced her fiercely, and she responded in kind, clutching his haori in her hands as if he would disappear if she let go. She opened her mouth to say something — anything — but he beat her to it. "You idiot…. What have you been up to?"_

_She smiled at his gruffness. He definitely wasn't charming, was he? But, she wouldn't have him any other way. Besides, she knew him well enough to hear his unspoken words: 'I missed you.'_

_Smelling his woodsy fragrance, she buried her face deeper into his chest and sighed contentedly. This was where she wanted to be — in his arms. This was where she _belonged.

_She was _home.

* * *

Kagome felt his weight full force as he passed out right after his transformation was complete. Inuyasha — _her_ Inuyasha — was back in her arms. This was like coming home…

...and finding it ruined, plundered and demolished to the ground.

She could feel his blood soak through her clothes. Even though she couldn't see his face now, its cut, bruised and bloodied state wouldn't leave her eyes. It didn't matter how many times she willed the painful image away; it was permanently engraved in her memory.

Torches illuminated the large cell. The shackles he had been freed of still swung where they were hung. Her gaze landed on the blood stains on the wall he had been chained to, and she whimpered. It was her fault that her mate had endured this torture.

Tears streaked down her cheeks incessantly only to drip down her chin in crimson drops. Holding back a sob, Kagome turned her head as much as she could with the hanyou's head on her shoulder and kissed his wet, dark locks. Needing some reassurance that her currently human mate was still alive, she tried to nuzzle his temple to feel his warmth, but the action caused his head to fall down her shoulder. She attempted to hold him up; however, he was too heavy for her, and she ended up falling on her back. His whole weight rested on her with his face buried in her neck. His hot breath — shaky and shallow — fanned on her dampened skin.

_

* * *

Heaving in exertion, he let his body fall next to hers and buried his nose in her neck. His hot breath fanned on her dampened skin with each harsh gasp. He gingerly wrapped one arm around her waist as they both lay there, waiting for their heartbeats to slow down. _

_The wind whipped the trees outside, sending the snow accumulated on their branches back to the air. Luckily, the two occupants of the untraditionally large wooden house lying on the outskirts of the small village were protected from the coldness of the merciless winter by expertly built thick walls._

_It wasn't long until the dog-eared adonis threw his leg between the ebony-haired beauty's thighs and hugged her more closely to his chest. After taking a deep breath, he sighed contentedly and asked, "It was okay to do that, right?"_

_Her breath still ragged, Kagome answered in between gasps, "Yes, Inuyasha. For the hundredth time, it is safe."_

_The hanyou's hand traveled down to rest on his mate's belly before caressing the slight swell of it tenderly. "Are you sure there is a baby in there?"_

"_Yes, baka! Of course there is a baby in there." She covered his large hand with her smaller one and slid them down to the spot below her belly-button. "Right here." She cupped his cheeks in her palms and guided him to meet her gaze. "Our baby," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion._

_His hand lingered on her womb as he watched her azure orbs glisten with tears of happiness, his golden ones wide in wonderment. Then, he grinned like a child who just found his mother's hidden stash of candy. "I'm going to be a father?"_

_Kagome nodded wordlessly, a loving smile playing on the corners of her lips._

"_When will it be really swollen?" the hanyou asked as he gently caressed her skin, careful not to bring his claws in contact with the precious site. "It can't be comfortable in there," he murmured._

_She laughed heartily at his comment. "Don't be silly!" she exclaimed as she gently tweaked his ear. "It's very small now. Don't worry. I'll make sure it's comfortable all the time."_

_Inuyasha snorted in disbelief, which earned him a pang at the base of his forelocks. He grunted in displeasure before he leaned his head against her belly. "I can't hear a thing," he complained._

"_They say it can hear us. But, probably not so soon," the miko said distractedly while she wound a few tendrils of silver hair on her finger._

_The excited father-to-be raised himself onto his elbows, his long bangs hiding his eyes from her sight. "Hey, pup?" he called out to her womb. "Let's make a few things clear while you're still in there." He raised one finger to emphasize his point to the invisible child in mock seriousness. "Rule number one: never, ever call your mom a bitch. Got that?" He looked up at her and added with a smirk that showed one sharp fang, "That privilege belongs to your old man."_

_Blue eyes narrowed at him dangerously, and a delicate hand shot out and yanked at his ear._

"_Oww! What did you do that for?!" he cried out._

"_You'll have to watch your mouth around the baby, mister. Or else..." she threatened as she made a show of reaching for his ear again._

"_All right, all right!" Grumbling, he massaged the abused appendage. "Heartless bi-..." he started, but the miko's fingers quickly covered the hanyou's mouth, effectively stopping his tirade. He rolled his eyes at her, took a hold of her wrist and kissed her fingertips. "Gotcha!" he chirped then, his eyes alight with mirth. "I wasn't going to finish that, you know," he added with a triumphant smirk._

_Kagome gulped as his lips tickled her fingers. Kissing them once more, Inuyasha let them go and leaned his head against her belly again, his one ear plastered to her soft skin and the other twitching madly, desperately trying to catch a sound. Enjoying his proximity, the young woman started combing his silver mane slowly._

"_When will it arrive?" he asked, his breath making her heartbeat quicken._

"_In about six months," she breathed out._

_Hearing that, the alarmed half-demon jumped to his knees. "What?! But, that's too long!"_

"_Too long?" his mate asked as she rose on her elbows. "Come on, Inuyasha. You were there when Sango was pregnant — both times. You know that it takes time!"_

"_I know! It's just that..." He looked down at her belly, and his golden orbs darkened with anxiety. "What if something bad happens while the pup's still in there?"_

_It took Kagome a few seconds to sever her gaze from his unguarded expression. It was rare that he let his guard down, and she wanted to savor each moment of it. However, she didn't want to be caught ogling him like that. The last time he had caught her, it had taken her three osuwari's to deflate his ego to its normal but still high level. Not that it was a bad thing; she'd rather have him cocky than insecure. If only he dropped the subject after one comment..._

"_Don't worry," she whispered, not trusting her voice to hide her reaction to him. Why did he have to look so adorable, so beautiful and so irresistibly sexy?_

_Shaking her head, she forced her lecherous thoughts away — she was turning into a female version of Miroku in priestess robes — and looked down at her belly. It was true that complications occured in some pregnancies, and in this era, they usually resulted in death due to lack of technology. But, that wouldn't be the case with her, right? It was still too early to say anything, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Smiling reassuringly, she placed one hand on her belly protectively. "Our baby will be perfectly safe." She was relieved to note that she sounded more certain than she felt._

_Clawed fingers covered her smaller ones and brought them to his mouth, taking her attention away from her own concerns. Her heart skipped a beat as his lips brushed her palm like velvety petals. His eyes were a dark shade of amber when he asked, "What about you?"_

_Her lust filled gaze turned into one of affection in the face of his almost palpable anxiety. He was deeply worried for her. Even though it warmed her heart to see how much he cared for her, she didn't like to see what it was doing to him. He was her protector against the dangers of this world, but _she_ was the protector of his heart._

_Kagome wasn't going to let Inuyasha hurt if it could be avoided._

"_I'll be fine. Nothing bad will happen; you'll see," she reassured. Feeling the need to take his thoughts away from the unpleasant topic, she playfully asked, "And if something happens, you'll be there to protect us, won't you?"_

_As usual, goading him worked like a charm, and the hanyou instantly straightened, puffing his chest out proudly. "Keh! Wench, I always protect you."_

_The miko couldn't keep from chuckling at her mate's childish display._

_Disregarding her amusement, he continued enthusiastically, "When my son is born, we'll protect you together. He'll grow up to be the strongest hanyou ever!"_

_Kagome's chuckles turned to full-fledged laughter before she asked mockingly, "Oh, really? Even stronger than you?"_

"_Laugh as much as you can, woman," grumbled Inuyasha. Gently poking the tip of her nose with his knuckle, he proudly added, "You'll see; he'll surpass me, just like I surpassed my old man!" She tried to shoo his hand away, but it returned to her nose like a stubborn fly and softly squeezed it between two fingers much to her annoyance. "Do you know why?" he questioned._

"_Ummm..." she drawled, her voice comically hoarse due to his hold. "Because he has an amazingly beautiful and terrifyingly strong mother like me?"_

"_Feh! As if!" He snorted condescendingly, earning himself a dark blue glare. She tried to hit him, but he easily dodged her half-hearted attack. "Because, I'm going to teach him how to use the Tetsusaiga the moment he starts walking," he explained. Golden orbs took on a far away look, and all the playfulness left his voice as he continued, "My son will not go through the troubles that I had."_

_Seeing his saddened expression, she decided to cheer him up. "How do you know that it's a boy?" she asked with one eyebrow raised in question. "What if it's a girl?"_

_He brightened instantly. "Doesn't matter. If it's a girl, then I'll protect you both," he announced with confidence. "I'm strong enough to take care of a dozen stubborn wenches like you."_

"_Hmm, I don't know. Are you?" Kagome asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes._

_Playing along, the hanyou berated the young woman mockingly, "What? You doubt my strength?" Then, a dangerous glint lit in his eyes, sending shivers up her spine. "I guess I'll need to show you how strong your mate really is."_

_She giggled when he caged her beneath his larger form and eagerly proceeded to prove his point. Goosebumps created by excitement appeared on her arms as he captured her lips in a searing kiss._

_Suddenly, he froze. In between the pecks his mate rained on his face, he managed to ask, "Are you cold?"_

"_No," she murmured while trying not to break contact, unwilling to let him go. "No, I'm not."_

"_Yes, you are." Following his announcement, the stubborn half-demon stood up despite her protests and her desperate attempts to keep him in place by her death grip on his neck._

_She whimpered at the loss of his warmth, but he paid it no mind. Kneeling in front of the hearth, he put a few more logs in it. The warmth spreading out from the bathroom — he had built it to supply its water from the nearby hot springs — helped with the heating, but even that was not enough when you lay around naked for hours in the middle of winter._

_He looked unearthly with the flames accentuating his well-defined chest under the shadows, golden hues dancing on his silver mane and his eyes swirling like pools of lava. He was too far away, and she didn't like it. Sitting up on the futon, she arched her back and stretched her arms over her head, deliberately pushing her bosom forward. She watched discreetly as his gaze landed on her torso and his eyes dilated. He blinked in a daze before shaking his head and glaring at her. "Kagome," he said warningly. "Put some clothes on, will you?"_

_Rolling her eyes at his overbearing protectiveness, she threw her yukata around her shoulders. She couldn't stop the small smile that spread on her face, though. Yes, he was overbearing... and stubborn... and gruff... and occasionally a _little_ dense. But, he was also sweet, caring, brave, and loyal._

_Sometimes, she couldn't help but wonder how he would have turned out to be if the man named Onigumo never existed. If her beloved hanyou had lived his life with Kikyo as a human, would he have been as sweet to the deceased priestess? Would he have been as considerate with her needs? Would he have been as hot-tempered and jealous as he was?_

_Would he have been as passionate in bed?_

_Those thoughts seared her heart even as they chilled the rest of her being, leaving her in shivers. Forcing the unwelcome images out of her head, she pulled the yukata around her more tightly._

* * *

Kagome shivered as goosebumps appeared on her skin. She pulled her yukata around her tightly to ward away the chill. She had taken off her kimono so that they could carry Inuyasha's unconscious form in it. She hadn't noticed how cold the dungeons were before. Now, as the adrenalin receded in her veins, the thin cloth drenched in his blood did little to protect her.

She couldn't take her eyes off of her mate lying on the stone floor, sprawled on her kimono with his head nestled on her lap. As if from far away, she could hear Sango and Miroku's faint voices cursing the new moon and arguing about how to get the hanyou-turned-human out of this hell hole. She paid them no mind as she tried to assess his injuries without touching them.

He looked miserable. Crimson covered him everywhere, and it wasn't just his clothes. His hakama clung to his legs, dark and wet with his life's essence. The front of his tattered shirt lay open as she left it. Numerous slashes marred his chest that was once perfect. Now that she looked closer, she could see a nasty gash in his abdomen — a wound inflicted via a sword or a wide dagger. Keiko must have known that he would heal quick enough to survive the hole she had ruthlessly given him. However, the wicked priestess didn't know he would turn into a human tonight. 'If she knew, she would have been more cautious. She wouldn't want to kill her prey too quickly.'

Her chest constricted at that thought, and she reached down to lightly trace the outline of the wound with trembling fingers. It was probably one of the earlier ones because, luckily, it wasn't bleeding anymore. But still, they would have to be careful and not jostle him. It could be fatal if that wound reopened.

A sob escaped her lips as her gaze traveled up to settle on his face. This deformed man looked nothing like the beautiful boy she had fallen in love with, and it broke her heart. She wanted to scream; she wanted to hit something; she wanted to avenge what had been done to him. Unfortunately, all she could do was cry and let her tears wash away the blood coating his face.

Blood.

There was so much of it. She needed to get rid of it. Perhaps, he wouldn't look so bad if she did. 'Why haven't I thought of that before?' Looking around, she spotted a bowl in one corner. As insane as it was, hope sparked in her chest. 'Yes, everything will be better once he's cleaned up.' She carefully laid his head on the floor before standing up. Her heart beating deliriously, she ran to get the bowl.

To her immense relief, it was half-filled with water. She quickly snatched it and turned to hurry back to his side before her eyes met those of Keiko. Miroku had carried the scarred woman's bound form behind one of the altars to keep her from spotting the now human hanyou. The high priestess had awakened and was glaring daggers at her. 'The nerve of that murderer!' Her arms clenched around the bowl. It was only the need to tend to her mate that kept Kagome from straying from her path as she passed by the twisted woman.

Kneeling at his side, she carefully laid his head back on her lap. Careful not to jostle him, she ripped a piece of cloth from the skirt of her yukata. The motion reminded her of the wedding dress she had ruined for the same purpose not so long ago. If only she had known who he was then… Shaking her head, she poured some water on the piece of cloth and tried to clean him, careful of his cuts.

She looked up when she heard Sango call her name. "We'll scout to see if anyone's aware of our intrusion. We'll be back shortly," whispered the slayer. At Kagome's curt nod, Sango gave her a painful smile before she turned to leave.

Not waiting to see if the couple left, Kagome gave her full attention to the man helplessly lying in her lap. His lips were parched in spite of the blood coating his face. She licked her lips unconsciously and tasted his blood left from his kiss.

Gently raising his head, she made him drink some water from her palm.

_

* * *

Crossing her arms on her chest, Kagome tapped her foot repeatedly, irritated at the hanyou who was currently kneeling by the river, filling his palms with cool water. She stared at him with a raised eyebrow as he stood up, careful not to spill the clear liquid, and brought his hands to her mouth. The instant he looked up at her face, a familiar glaring match started. She narrowed her eyes at him to show her annoyance, and he readily mimicked her expression, leaning his head down in the process so that they were almost nose to nose. He raised an eyebrow at her, angling his hands enough to let the liquid wet her lips. She licked her lips on reflex and rolled her eyes at the triumphant smirk that pulled up the corner of his mouth. Finally, she gave up with a huff and accepted his offering._

_The cool water was welcome in her dry mouth, and she was grateful for it. However, it didn't mean that she was less annoyed with him. She was pregnant, for God's sake, not an invalid. She could still do simple things like getting water from the river. But, no. The stubborn baka had to insist that she couldn't do it. To be honest, that wasn't the real problem. He always did things for her now that she was carrying their child, and most of the time, she welcomed his efforts. Actually, he was awfully cute when he was trying so hard to keep her safe and make her comfortable. It was the insinuation he made about her clumsiness that got on her nerves. The fact that her belly was a little swollen didn't mean that she was going to tumble down into the river like a rock._

_She continued to glare at him from beneath her lashes as he watched her sip from his palms. Once he made sure she drank every single drop, he dried his hands on his hakama, watching her pout for losing the war. Chuckling at her antics, he placed his hand under her chin and raised her face to meet his. His lips on hers were soft and alive like the gentle spring breeze whispering promises of a glorious summer in their ears._

"_Why are you angry with me?" he asked against her lips, his warm breath mingling with hers and causing her to shiver in excitement. Her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks as he kissed the corner of her mouth. "It's not my fault…" he mumbled, placing tender pecks along her jaw before he whispered in her ear, "…that you're so clumsy."_

_With a gasp, she opened her eyes only to see him standing a safe distance away from her, grinning madly. 'Why you little trickster!' As if she couldn't get him without touching him… Her hands on her hips, the miko's lips formed a perfect 'o,' ready to blurt out the dreaded 'osuwari.'_

_His eyes widened impressively, and he was in front of her in a flash, his lips descending on hers before she could even blink. He gathered her in his arms as he continued to kiss her. "Keh!" He snorted after searing his lips from hers with a triumphant glint in his eyes. "You can't say it now."_

_Her azure orbs shining with mischief, Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned cheekily up at him as he carried her away from the river. "I wasn't going to."_

_He faltered in his step and glanced at her in surprise. Then, he shook his head, chuckling softly. "You're a sneaky wench, I'm telling you."_

_She giggled as he took off into the forest again. It wasn't long before they stopped in a small clearing. Tearing her gaze from his jaw, she peeked at their surroundings and gasped at the sight before her. She snapped her head back to beam a huge smile at him. _

_He seemed too busy surveying the place, but the corner of his lips twitched slightly before turning into a smirk, giving him away. "That one looks good enough," he said, pointing to a tree towering above the bushes. Careful not to jostle his precious cargo, he leaped to a low but wide branch and placed the young woman to sit against the tree's trunk. Crouching beside her, he raised one eyebrow at her expectantly._

_Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed. "I know. I'll stay put and not do anything that will end with me falling down."_

"_Good girl," he said as he patted her head before hopping down._

_Twirling a lock of dark hair with her fingers, the miko leaned against the trunk and watched the hanyou struggle with the unyielding bushes as he picked up berries for her. She could hear him snarl and grunt each time he got his hands stung by needles. She'd been craving berries since she woke up that morning, and being the caring father-to-be that he was, Inuyasha took it upon himself to appease her cravings as it had become a daily routine. He wouldn't let her out of his sight, nor would he let her stay on the ground like any normal human being while he was occupied. "The trees are safer," he had said. "Unless you pick a fight with the stupid crows or the big bad ants, nothing can pass through me to get you."_

_Speaking of which… A tickling sensation brought her attention to her neck, and as expected, she found a crazy little ant wandering on her skin. Not wanting to get more bugs down her shirt, she straightened on her perch, putting some distance between her back and the tree, and swung her legs down one side of the branch._

_Swaying her red hakama covered legs slowly, she gazed at her mate as he straightened and inspected the berries he gathered in his palm. His ears twitched and he looked up, glaring at her. Knowing that he was right to be annoyed with her this time, she blushed guiltily and stopped swinging her legs. The half-demon shook his head and returned to his business, all the while grumbling about stubborn wenches that never learned._

_She rolled her eyes, letting the comment slide. Perhaps she was being a little careless, but she knew that she wouldn't actually fall that easily. Besides, even if she fell, he would be there to catch her. He was her 'knight in bright red fire rat fur,' after all. He had always been. She felt even safer with him nowadays because he was somehow stronger than he had ever been. She couldn't decide whether it was because he had grown up physically due to the passage of time, or that he was more motivated now that he had a family to protect._

'_A family…' The thought made her smile, and she put her hand on her belly protectively. She closed her eyes with a soft sigh, feeling the breeze on her cheeks and in her hair. It was a beautiful morning, slightly chilly, and the air was filled with fresh scents of mid-spring flowers. She took a deep breath, savoring the sweet fragrances as she did so, before an irritated growl came from the hanyou._

"_Fuck!" cursed Inuyasha as he plunged his arm into the bush._

"_What's wrong?" she asked, looking down at his crouching form._

"_It's the damn snake," he grunted and shook the plant wildly._

_She giggled when he hissed and retracted his arm. "Afraid of a mere snake?" taunted the young woman._

"_Keh! The stupid thing won't leave the bush! I think its nest is here."_

_She watched as he thrust the Tetsusaiga into the depths of the plant. The berries were forgotten, and his attention was solely on scaring the poor creature away. Her stomach was growling, and she didn't have much patience left. "Hurry up, Inuyasha! I'm starving!"_

"_Dammit!" he cried out. "Easy for you to say! Why don't you come down and do it yourself?!"_

_Five minutes later, he had filled his palm with enough berries and leaped up to the branch to sit next to her. Extending his hand, he presented her the fruit she had been craving. _

_Licking her lips, she quickly snatched one and popped it into her mouth. "Mmm," she moaned, tasting the sour sweetness. It was quickly followed by a second and a third, and while Inuyasha chuckled quietly at her eagerness, she devoured the whole bunch in mere seconds._

"_Now, that was delicious," she said as she leaned and gave him a sticky peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Inuyasha."_

_He replied with a "Keh," and turned away from her to hide his blush, and thus, missed it when she froze in her place._

_She sniffed noisily and asked, "Do you smell fish?"_

_His ears twitched, and he looked at her in surprise. "Fish?" He made a show of sniffing and shook his head. "Nope, no fish."_

"_Are you sure? You don't smell fish? Fresh fish roasted on fire, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside and all so yummy?"_

_He looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "No, Kagome. I don't smell fish."_

"_Huh. There must be something wrong with your nose then because I do."_

_He snorted in disbelief. "Why don't you come out and say you want fish?"_

_At that, she batted her eyelashes at him and gave him her best puppy look. "Inuyasha? Please?"_

_He groaned in misery and let his head fall on her shoulder as he mumbled, "What did I do to deserve this?"_

_She giggled and patted his ears lovingly. "It's your pup, Dogboy. It's only natural that it has your appetite."_

_He straightened up and looked away as he grumbled, "Keh! If I knew it would come to this..." He couldn't finish his complaint when she gasped and dived for his ear, losing her balance and almost falling off the branch. Luckily, he caught her arm in time, saving himself the short trip he would have to make to catch her before she met the ground. He righted her on her perch and growled warningly._

_She gave him the puppy eyes again, which made him chuckle before he sighed tiredly. "Okay, I'll get your fish. Just let me have a breather." Leaning his head on her shoulder once more, he complained, "This pup won't let me rest for a minute, I swear! I can't believe _I'm_ the one that does all the work even though _you're_ the one carrying it!"_

"_Who said it would be easy to be a father?" she asked as she giggled at the whine he let out._

"_I wouldn't know; I've never had one," he mumbled. "Does it get better?"_

"_I'd say these are your good days, Inuyasha. It'll get worse," she answered conspiratorially._

"_Keh! Is that even possible?"_

"_Wait till the pup's born. I'm not going to stay up all night alone."_

"_My pup will be a good one. You're the one that makes everything difficult!" he accused before looking down at her belly. "Right, pup?" He placed his head on her belly as if to hear the baby's answer. His ears twitched while she lightly scratched the back of his head. Then, he sharply inhaled and froze._

_Worried at his reaction, Kagome asked, "Inuyasha?"_

_Straightening slightly, he gazed up at her with his eyes wide in amazement. "I can hear it," he whispered._

_Not understanding what the hanyou was talking about, the miko questioned, "You can hear it? Hear what?"_

"_The pup's heartbeat."_

_Hearing that, her face lit up with a gorgeous smile. He planted a sloppy kiss on her lips before he grinned toothily and exclaimed, "I can hear the pup!" Excited, he leaned down to listen again. He moved his head from left to right, planting one ear on her belly and then the other._

"_Ah, Kagome?" he asked after a few seconds. "I hear two heartbeats." He looked up at her face, his own betraying his confusion. "Why are there two heartbeats?"_

_She furrowed her brows in thought before rolling her eyes. "Of course there will be two, baka! You must be hearing my heart, too."_

"_Idiot!" he snapped. "There are two heartbeats _aside from yours_!"_

"_A-are you sure?" stammered Kagome, unable to believe it could be real._

"_Keh!" Inuyasha snorted before deliberately moving his ears back and forth. "Have these ears ever lied?"_

_Her mouth hung open as she digested this new bit of information. Panicking at her reaction, he asked, "What? Is there something wrong with the pup?"_

_She shook her head and met his eyes with her glistening ones. "No, I don't think anything's wrong with the pup."_

"_What is it then?" he pressed, not liking being in the dark where his pup was concerned._

_A huge smile crept up her face like the dawning sun, and she beamed at him. "Inuyasha, I think we're going to have twins!"_

"_Twins?" the hanyou asked, clearly having trouble comprehending its meaning._

"_Twins!" she exclaimed impatiently. "Like Miroku's daughters!"_

_When he continued to look at her stupidly, she politely elaborated, "Two pups, baka!"_

"_Two pups…" Still in a daze, he grinned broadly. "Not one, but two pups…" His grin froze as he mumbled, "…which means twice the work." In a moment of enlightenment, his eyes widened comically. "Fuck! I'm doomed!" he cried out, and in his panic, he lost his balance._

_A loud "Dammit!" echoed in the forest, scaring off a flock of birds as the hanyou fell head first to the ground._

* * *

"Dammit!" Miroku cursed when the kimono's sleeve slid out of his hand, causing the unconscious hanyou's head hit to the ground.

While Kagome cringed, Sango threw the monk a nasty look more for his outburst than for dropping Inuyasha. They had to be careful if they wanted to avoid a confrontation with the soldiers. The monk quickly recovered and held the sleeve more tightly this time as he signaled to a wide eyed Kagome to check the next hall they were supposed to take. "Hurry," he whispered.

This was what they had been doing for the last five minutes. When they had left the cell with the high priestess locked in it, they had started going back the way they had come. Kagome had been checking the halls at every turn, and Miroku and Sango had been carrying the hanyou wrapped in the miko's kimono.

Rushing up front to peek around the corner, Kagome heard footsteps approaching even before she looked. Turning back to the couple, she whispered, "Someone's coming this way."

* * *

"_Wench! Someone's coming this way!"_

"_Oh, great!" complained Kagome even as she carefully waded toward the riverbank. She hadn't been in the water for more than ten minutes before Inuyasha started grumbling about her obsession with bathing. It wasn't her fault that the weather was suffocatingly warm, was it? She had managed to stall for a little while, ignoring his surly attitude. But now that their privacy was about to be breached, she had no choice but to heed his warning._

_Just as she reached for her pink kimono sprawled on one of the nearby rocks, she saw him smirk at her. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, and she asked, "What is it?" If this was one of his tricks to get her out of water, she was going to sit him so hard that his fangs were going to leave holes in the earth deep enough for an ant colony to use as their new nest._

"_Nothin'." The hanyou shrugged nonchalantly as his smirk widened, his gaze on her enormously large belly._

_She huffed in annoyance and slid her arms inside her kimono sleeves. Once she was done putting on the essentials, she looked at her obi in her hands and to the giant bulge that had once been her tiny waist. She shook her head hopelessly and holding the garment up, she gave him a pleading look. Despite the fact that she could no longer tie her obi herself, she preferred wearing a kimono these days. It was more comfortable thanks to her profusely large belly. Besides, it wasn't as if she had been going on piggy back rides for the last few months._

_Chuckling at her pathetic attempt to convince him, the hanyou stood behind her and proceeded to wrap the deep purple fabric loosely around her 'waist.'_

_As he tied the final knot, a middle-aged man with a small pack dangling over his shoulder by a long stick came out of the forest. The stranger froze when he saw the couple by the river. "Sorry," he said, blushing heavily for having intruded on a private moment. However, when he noticed the silver-haired man behind the young woman and the dog ears atop his head, the human's eyes widened in fear. But then, his gaze fell on the woman's protruding belly and then on the man's ears. When he stared back at Kagome, his expression had morphed into one of scorn and disgust. The traveler flinched when her scary companion blocked the woman from his view and growled at him viciously. The hanyou cracked his knuckles menacingly, and the stranger fled without looking back._

"_Fucking outsiders!" snarled Inuyasha. "I should've gouged his eyes out," he muttered as he plopped down in front of a boulder and crossed his arms on his chest._

_Kagome sighed tiredly. "They are a bunch of idiots, Inuyasha. Don't mind them; you know I don't."_

"_I know. It's just that I can't stand..." he started._

_Not letting him finish his words, she sat on his lap with his help. "Come on!" she urged as she flicked her hair in his face._

_He rolled his eyes at her. "Again?! Do I have to?"_

"_Oh, shut up, will you? You know you want to!" she chirped as she let her head rest on his shoulder._

_With a roll of his eyes and a resigned sigh, he started combing her hair with his claws. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the gentle strokes of his deadly claws on her scalp and the reassuring beat of his heart. With the soft rise and fall of his chest, they were lulling her to sleep, which was why she was caught completely off-guard when a sharp pain jerked her up mercilessly. She straightened with a yelp, her hands flying to her belly._

_His panic evident in his breathless voice, Inuyasha asked, "Is it the pups?"_

"_Yes," she managed to whisper as she gasped for air in the aftershock._

"_What?! What should I do?! Should I call for Kaede?!" cried out Inuyasha as he jumped to his feet with his mate in his arms._

"_Wait!" she yelled before adding in a more controlled voice, "We don't know if it's time yet. I don't want to disturb Kaede if it's fake like the last time." She added with a sheepish look, "…and the one before that... and the one before that."_

"_Okay," exhaled Inuyasha. "What do you suggest we do, then?"_

"_We'll just sit and wait," she supplied calmly._

"_Okay. We wait." Still holding Kagome in his arms, he lowered himself down slowly and resumed his previous position against the boulder. Barely a few seconds had passed before he hesitantly asked, "Ah, wench?"_

"_What?"_

"_What's that wetness on my hakama?"_

"_Wetness?" Confused, she felt his hakama with her hand, and then her kimono. Her eyes widened as she called out, "Oh, Gods! My water broke!"_

"_What?" asked Inuyasha, puzzled._

"_My water, baka!" exclaimed the miko breathlessly. "They're coming! The babies are coming!"_

_He looked at her suspiciously and asked, "Are you sure?" His only answer was her scream as another contraction hit her._

"_Oh, shit!" he cried out as he jumped to his feet. "They're coming!" Carrying his mate in his arms, he took off in a fast run. The trees became a blur as he pushed forward with all his might, all the while trying hard not to add to the young woman's discomfort._

"_Faster, Inuyasha!" she screamed, and he took off to the air, flying over the tree tops and heading for their house._

_In the middle of his jump, his gaze caught an orange fur ball walking away from Kaede's hut and he called out to the little figure. "Shippo! Tell Kaede that the pups are comin'!"_

_Once his feet touched the ground, he was forced to look down at his mate by her death grip on his forelocks. Between gritted teeth, Kagome hissed, "Stop jolting me, baka!"_

"_What the...?" he started as he switched to running once more. Furrowing his brows, he hollered, "Will you fucking make up your mind?!"_

_With his speed, it didn't take them more than three minutes to reach the unusually large hut that was their house. Panting slightly, Inuyasha slid open the wooden door that was also uncommon in the village. He passed through the living room/kitchen and entered the bedroom where a large futon was sprawled out, waiting to be used at any given time. With Kagome being so close to delivery, they kept it unfolded all day._

_It wasn't the only thing they had readied for this day. Both Kagome and the old hag had talked him through what needed to be done in case he was alone with her when the time came. Unfortunately, the fearless warrior hanyou who had slain countless demons in his lifetime was having trouble recalling what he had been taught because, perhaps for the first time in his life, he was scared shitless._

_He placed Kagome on the futon with trembling arms and stared at her contorted face, his own mimicking her pained expression unconsciously. Looking around frantically, he spotted two spare pillows on the shelf and sprang to his feet. He grabbed them carelessly and flew back to her side. The miko was groaning in pain, gasping out short but rapid breaths. Her forehead was glistening with beads of sweat. Supporting her back with his arm, he placed the pillows behind her and gently eased his mate back to lean on them._

"_Inuyasha," she whimpered, and the hanyou's ears drooped at the agony in her voice._

"_What?" he asked, flustered. "Kagome, tell me what to do!"_

"_Water," she breathed out. "We need to heat water."_

"_Water. Okay," he said as he sprang to his feet. But, he was stopped by the young woman's grip on his hakama._

"_No!" she protested. "Don't… don't leave me."_

_At a loss, he nodded dumbly and squatted down, murmuring, "Okay, I'll stay." He pushed her bangs away from her forehead and gently stroked her sweaty skin with the back of his hand. "Does it hurt too much?" he asked hesitantly, already knowing the answer but still afraid to hear it._

"_Y-yes," she breathed out before groaning and throwing her head back. Her eyes clenched tightly, and her mouth opened slightly as pitiful whimpers left her throat._

_Watching her in pain and not being able to stop what was hurting her so much was driving Inuyasha crazy. All he could do was hold her hand and watch as his precious miko writhed in pain. He'd never thought it would be this bad. This was pure hell._

"_It'll be all right, Kagome," he soothed. "Hang on a little more." Even as he said it, he couldn't help but wonder. Would it really be okay? Would _she_ be all right in the end? What if she didn't…? He stopped that train of thought before it could go any further. Of course she was going to survive. She had to. Both her and their pups were going to be okay. Everything was going to be perfect. They just had to suffer through this ordeal together. He prayed that it would end quickly. He'd never felt so helpless before. It was killing him inside._

_His ears perked up at the sound of Kirara's roar coming from the garden, and he exhaled in relief. Not a second passed before Shippo appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide in fear at the sight before him. "Is Kagome okay?" the fox child asked tearfully._

"_She will be," Inuyasha said with conviction. "Where's the old hag?"_

"_I'm right here, Inuyasha," came the old priestess' voice right before she entered the bedroom. She eyed the occupants of the room with her one good eye and then ordered the men to leave as she rolled her sleeves up._

_Shippo obeyed instantly, relieved that he didn't have to stay and watch. The father-to-be also made to stand up but was restrained by his mate's death grip on his sleeve. "No!" cried out Kagome as she grabbed the hanyou's hand and held onto it desperately. Surprised, he stared at her stupidly._

"_No." She shook her head, her already damp hair sticking to her forehead and making her gleaming azure orbs even more striking. "You promised to protect us," she reminded in a tiny voice._

_He glanced at Kaede hesitantly before he heard Kagome whisper, "Please, Inuyasha. I need you with me."_

_His eyes melted at the sight of her pleading ones. He squeezed her hand to let her know that he would stay as he stroked her cheek with his free hand. Closing her eyes, the miko savored the sensation of calloused fingers on her soft skin while she could. The cramps would start again soon._

_The hanyou scowled at Kaede who glared at him. The old woman sighed in irritation before she warned, "Do as ye wish, Inuyasha. But, don't ye dare get upset during the birth."_

_He snorted at that comment. "Keh! I've seen worse, old hag," he declared confidently. "You think I'm too weak to witness my pups being born?" The elderly priestess only raised an eyebrow at the hanyou's arrogance before going back to her business and ignoring him completely._

_Half an hour later, Inuyasha decided that he'd never seen anything worse before. The scent of her blood was making him dizzy, urging him to protect what was his and driving him to the brink of insanity as he failed to do so. Kaede was kneeling in front of Kagome, coaching the young woman expertly while Sango helped her friend stand and whispered words of encouragement. Shortly after the group had arrived with Kirara, the slayer had come in with a large kettle filled with hot water and together they had secured a thick rope to the wall behind Kagome so that she could use it to support herself. As the miko clutched the rope hanging over her head with two hands, the hanyou did his best to keep her from hitting her head on the wall by wrapping his arm around her shoulders._

_Unfortunately, with the increasing pain, her attitude toward him changed drastically. At some point, one of her hands found his and clasped tightly, her short nails digging into his skin painfully. How his fragile human managed to hurt him was beyond his grasp._

"_Push, child!" commanded Kaede._

"_I am pushing, dammit!" Kagome screamed, her face a dark crimson with her efforts._

"_Push harder!" yelled Kaede, earning an impressive growl from the young woman._

_Trying to make himself useful, Inuyasha supplied, "Push harder, wench!"_

"_You shut up!" the so-called-wench bellowed._

_He was taken aback by her outburst. His instincts screamed at him to run, but her grip on his hand wouldn't let him move. She let go of the rope and latched onto his forelocks, making him wince in pain. Looking him in the eye with murder in hers, she hissed between gritted teeth, "This is entirely your fault, you jerk!"_

"_What the…" started Inuyasha but was cut short by Kagome's agonizing shriek. It felt as if this torture would never end as those screams continued to burn his ears. He was growling and sweating heavily with the effort it took to stay by her side and not to bring the whole village down in his horror. When would it stop?_

_A miserable whimper worked its way up his throat, threatening to break out of his lips right before he heard Kaede's softened voice. "Look at what we have here," cooed the old priestess as she handed a messy lump to Sango. He could hardly make out short silver strands and bluish skin beneath the slimy substance and the crimson that coated the little bundle. And then, it cried. It was his pup!_

_His ears perked up as he heard the slayer whisper, "It's a boy."_

_A boy. He had a son! He wanted to see his pup and longed to hold him in his arms, but his attention turned back to his mate as she groaned once more._

_Returning to the young woman, Kaede said, "You're almost done, child. Now, be brave and push!" And just like that, the torture started again._

_Between screams and groans, profanities could be heard quite clearly along with the miko's accusations pertaining to her mate's part in her current situation, causing the poor hanyou's ears to hide among his hair. Luckily, the second one — a girl — didn't take as long as the first._

_After he helped his mate lie back on the futon, he watched the women tend to the infants as he absentmindedly stroked Kagome's damp hair. Kaede motioned him to approach, and he jumped to his feet, his heart threatening to burst out of its cage with every step he took. Before he knew it, he had one pup placed on each arm. Were they supposed to be so tiny? With a stupid grin plastered on his face, he turned to his exhausted mate. She looked so serene, lying there tiredly, her eyes shining as her gaze landed on the two bundles in his arms. Gone was the murderous bitch from a few minutes ago. It was good to have his loving miko back, and she had never looked so beautiful._

_All the pain Kagome had endured was forgotten once she laid eyes on her babies. They were still a little messy despite Kaede and Sango's attempts to clean them, but she could see the silver of their hair sticking out from the blankets as Inuyasha held them. Feeling as if drugged after so much exertion, she looked up to his face to see the amazed, unbelieving and affectionate expression on his features. He returned her gaze as he moved to show the babies to her. The moment their eyes locked, she was overcome by the unspoken gratitude and unshed tears in his eyes. With their children safely and gently nestled in his arms, it was the most heavenly sight her eyes would ever be graced with._

_He kneeled on her side and gave her one of the pups. "Which one is this?" she asked, her voice cracking with emotion as she looked down at the small lump that was her baby._

"_Dunno," murmured the hanyou. "Lemme check." He opened the blanket he was still holding and showed her its tiny little contents with inflated pride. "Meet our son, Kagome."_

_The young woman's eyes filled with tears at the sight before her. Her son. He was beautiful beyond words._

_She giggled when the infant kicked Inuyasha's nose. "Wench," he said jovially. "Haven't I told you my son was going to be a strong hanyou?" Following the smirking half-demon's taunt, the newborn's wail thundered like a war cry as his little fist accidentally connected with his father's jaw. Unfazed by the pup's attempts to beat him into a pulp, Inuyasha cried out triumphantly, "Ha! Take that!"_

* * *

"Take that, you little scum!" Miroku hissed after hitting a guard unconscious when the bastard tried to attack Sango from behind. Whirling back, he parried a second soldier's attempt with the sword he had acquired at the beginning of the fight.

Sango was fairing rather well, sparring against two attackers at a time. Behind the couple, Kagome watched nervously, hitting and kicking the enemy whenever they entered the range of her limbs. She was the human shield standing in front of Inuyasha, who lay on the stone ground supported by the wall from behind.

One of the soldiers managed to sneak past the vicious couple, and for a second, the miko's heart jumped to her throat. Fortunately, the man ran past her and deeper into the dungeons. She was relieved at first, but that soon changed when she saw him take the hall that led to the cell where they had left Keiko. 'This is not good.'

Her concerns shifted direction when she heard Inuyasha groan. He was trembling visibly, and heavy drops of sweat covered his face. Crouching down, she put a hand on his forehead and hissed when she felt his temperature. He was burning with fever.

His lips were moving incessantly, spilling out words she couldn't hear. She leaned down, trying to decipher what he was saying. Then, she heard him mumble, "...stop... don't... stop..."

_

* * *

Strange incessant voices pulled her from the clutches of unawareness, and Kagome opened her eyes to the flickering moonlight seeping behind the tatami mat covering the window as it faintly ruffled in the gentle wind. She lay motionless, trying to figure out what woke her up in the middle of the night. Then, she heard it: harsh, rapid breaths accompanied by an occasional groan or whimper coming from the figure lying behind her on the futon. _

_She rolled onto her other side, facing Inuyasha as he slept next to her. He seemed to be having a dream or a nightmare; she couldn't tell which. She could barely make out his eyes moving rapidly behind his closed eyelids in the faint light. His mouth was slightly open, short gasps of air leaving his parted lips in rapid succession. As she watched, trying to decide whether to wake him or not, he moaned in broken gasps, "...stop... don't... stop..."_

_Reaching out to him slowly, she pushed his hair away from his face and caressed his cheeks and then his brows, gently smoothing the little creases that formed between them as his face scoffed in tension. "Inuyasha?" she called timidly. He didn't wake up, but she was relieved to see that he instantly relaxed under her fingers._

_Sighing in relief, the miko laid her head on the hanyou's shoulder and willed herself to go back to sleep. She blinked a few times before she decided it was futile. Now that she was fully awake, she could just as well get up and check on the children._

_Throwing the blanket away, Kagome slowly stood up. She righted the disheveled neckline of her yukata while she tiptoed her way out of the bedroom and into the adjacent room where her babies slept on two tiny futons next to each other._

_She smiled when her eyes found Raiden's little form sprawled out on his bed. The blanket was already kicked off, pooled at his naked feet. Her little warrior was sleeping with his wooden sword lying by his side, mimicking his father. And as usual, he was sucking his thumb. She chuckled soundlessly as she kneeled down and gently took his thumb out of his mouth before tucking him in and placing a soft kiss on his forehead._

_Reika was curled up on her pillow, her hand tangled in Raiden's silver hair. She had probably been playing with his ear again. She did it all the time despite her brother's loud protests, and Raiden was used to it by now. In fact, he couldn't sleep without his sister playing with his ears. Her little princess was a stubborn one, and Kagome was sure she got that from her father. After all, their mother was a perfectly agreeable person._

_She sometimes wondered if they got anything from her at all. She had been the one to carry them in her body for nine months, but the twins were spitting images of their father. Only once a month when they turned human could she see a part of herself in their raven hair and in Reika's sapphire orbs. Raiden had his father's eyes. She had no idea where they got their sleeping habits, though. Inuyasha was always still when he slept. Unless he was dreaming like tonight, that is. The miko was pretty sure she didn't fight with her covers or took off on a journey on her futon, either._

_Shaking her head at her babies' sleeping habits, Kagome righted her daughter in the bed and gently tweaked her little doggie ear. Reika grunted in her sleep, her ears twitching madly among her silver strands. She clawed at the offending object, but Kagome was quick to retract her hand before the expected attack came. Reika didn't like people touching her ears._

_Smiling and shaking her head at her beautiful flower's hypocrisy, Kagome left the room and headed to join her beloved mate in slumber. Before she passed the door to their love nest, her gaze caught a glimpse of the elegant dagger stabbed high into the doorframe by her own hands. She touched its hilt with her fingertips, feeling the power of the barrier surrounding the house through the object._

_The first two weeks with their children had been difficult. Inuyasha had hardly slept, keeping watch all day and night, afraid that some random demon passing by would come after their scent. Three half-demons in one place were too big of a target. Finally, Kagome had asked Kaede and Miroku to teach her how to erect a barrier and keep it intact while she was sleeping by channeling her energy to an inanimate object. It had been one of the best decisions she had ever made. Now, her family was safe, and Inuyasha could actually sleep with her on their futon instead of sitting up all night._

_The dagger had been his present, forged from his own fang by no one other than the great sword master Totosai. Kagome had been surprised by the power of the barriers she had erected with that dagger. It didn't have any specialties like the Tetsusaiga, but it was a part of her mate, and that alone made her feel more powerful whenever she handled it._

_After eyeing her precious weapon affectionately for a few more seconds, she entered the bedroom. She tiptoed her way back to the futon. She was so engrossed in her efforts to not make a sound that she jumped when a growl suddenly erupted from the hanyou's chest._

_Inuyasha was dreaming again, but this time it seemed more intense. Silent moans and soft growls left his parted lips, and he started thrashing in bed. Her jaw dropped open when he groaned and bucked his hips upwards in a way that could mean only one thing. Now that she looked carefully, the bulge in his hakama was visible even in the dim light._

_Inuyasha was having a wet dream._

_She tried hard to keep her girlish giggles in. This was the first time she had caught him like this. And damn him if he didn't look hot. The sight of him as his muscles clenched every time his hips rose off the ground combined with the desperate sounds escaping his full lips sent shivers down her spine even as they ignited a familiar fire in her belly. _

"_Please," he whimpered, and it was her undoing. She had to touch him. She had to feel him inside her. She had to end his misery with her caresses and let him soothe the aching need that was growing fast in her lower regions._

_Slowly, she kneeled down on the futon and loosened the ties to his hakama. She bit her lip in excitement when his huge erection sprang free. He was still sleeping, and she didn't want him to wake up yet. That would ruin the surprise. She was already soaking wet — wet enough for the both of them. She smiled thinking about the possible expressions his face would take on once he opened his eyes to find her on top of him. Even more encouraged now thanks to her active imagination, she shrugged her yukata off. She carefully straddled him and almost lost her balance when he thrust his hips up once more. The friction of her wet core over him was too much, and the miko bit her lip to keep herself from moaning out loud._

_Rising on her knees, she held him up with one hand and very slowly lowered herself on him. It was when he was half-way in and she was panting with the strain it took not to pummel herself on him that he chose to buck his hips up, burying his erection in her. Their groans mixed as she closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of being whole once again._

_Then, she was riding him softly, sensuously. He met her thrust for thrust even as his eyes stayed closed, keeping him in dreamland. Her hands sneaked into his shirt, grazing his abs and supporting her weight as her legs threatened to give out from under her. His head was trashing from side to side, broken pleas falling from his lips. Everything about him made her heart soar and her body reached dangerous highs every time she was with him. And then she was falling, toppling down to earth as her muscles clamped around him, taking him down with her._

_Gasping for breath and exhausted, Kagome lay down on his torso and nuzzled his neck. Laughter bubbled up in her chest thinking about what she had done and that he slept through it all. Who would have guessed Inuyasha would turn into such a heavy sleeper? His breathing was still labored. Smiling contentedly, she leaned up to place a kiss on his jaw. He groaned again, and the word he whispered, even though uttered in such a soft tone, rang in her ears like the trumpet of doom, and her world came crushing down._

"_Kikyo."_

* * *

"'Gome," Inuyasha moaned, bringing Kagome back from her reverie. She shushed him with a soft caress on his forehead. She glanced at their saviors to see them standing among several comatose soldiers scattered upon the ground.

Righting their clothes and masks, they hurried to her side. Once again, they hauled the hanyou off the ground with the help of Kagome's ruined kimono. The monk hissed in pain at the strain the act put on his muscles, and the miko gasped in fear when she saw the cut on his arm. "Miroku! Are you okay?" she asked.

He shook his head vigorously. "I'm fine, Kagome. It's just a scratch. Don't worry about it. Now, move it before the news get out and we have to fight hundreds of them."

Nodding her understanding, Kagome took the lead once more, checking the halls before they took a turn. They had to hide and wait for a few times, but they got out of the main building without further incident. Thanks to the new moon, their escape was mostly concealed by darkness as they continued toward the back wall Sango and Miroku had used to sneak in.

The events of the last two days were finally wearing on her, and now that they were able to run without being intercepted, she could feel her limbs as well as her lungs protesting. That was perfectly understandable, though. The young woman from the future hadn't been living a physically exhausting life for the last ten years.

A thick log by the wall, which they were staying close to as they ran, caught Kagome's eye. She stopped for a moment to breathe and put her hand on the log for support as she doubled over in exhaustion. When she pulled back to resume running, she hissed at the unexpected sting on her finger. 'A splinter. Great.' Inwardly cursing her luck as well as her clumsiness, she brought the appendage to her mouth.

_

* * *

Kagome furiously stabbed at the torn hem of her red hakama. She was seething, and it had nothing to do with the fact that Inuyasha had been dreaming again last night and that she was too much of a coward to call him out on it. 'Nope. Definitely not.' It was the damn fabric that wouldn't let her stitch the irritating tear. When everything else in her life was so damn difficult and frustrating, why would the single task of stitching be easy?_

_She gritted her teeth as she struggled to get the needle out of the fabric and hissed in pain when it stung her fingertip. She watched with glistening eyes as blood oozed from the tiny hole on her finger. 'Oh, who am I kidding?' This had been going on for months, and she was on the verge of breaking down these days. She wanted it to end. She wanted to cry out at the top of her lungs that she knew. She wanted to demand an explanation. However, she was afraid. If she let him voice her fears, if he admitted that he was missing the deceased priestess and that he still loved her, craved her, she couldn't live with it. There was only so much a woman could bear. That would be her limit, and she would have to leave him for good._

_The problem was that she couldn't live without him either. She loved him too much for her own good. Leaving would destroy her. Besides, it wasn't only the two of them anymore. They had two kids that needed their parents together. Speaking of which…_

_Her red clad mate appeared at the door. His little princess was sitting on his shoulders, happily combing daddy's unruly bangs._

"_Papa!" came a loud cry, and Kagome looked down to see Raiden glued to Inuyasha's leg. If it wasn't for the mess of long silver hair, she wouldn't have noticed her son among the pile of red clothing._

"_Come on, pup," pleaded the adult hanyou as he shook his leg lightly to drop its precious cargo, but the boy held strong._

"_No! Wind scaw!" demanded Raiden with an adorable but determined pout._

"_Hey! We've been doing it since dawn!" complained the half-demon. "Let your old man rest for a minute, will you?"_

"_No!"_

"_Here," Inuyasha said as he put his daughter down. "Why don't you go and slay a few dragons and rescue princess Reika from the tower?"_

"_I slay dwagon!" cried out the little boy in excitement and let go of his papa's leg. He pretended to stab his sister's pink kimono clad stomach with his wooden sword and added, "But, she's not a pwincess!" He blew her a raspberry and started running away for his life._

"_Yes, I am!" screamed Reika as she stomped her foot down before chasing after Rai._

"_Hey! Don't go outside the fence, and do not slay mommy's carrots, Rai!" The proud father chuckled after the children for a few more seconds. Then, his nose twitched, and he turned to Kagome._

_The young woman gasped when his sharp gaze landed her. He assessed her for a moment before snorting. "Keh! And you go all 'osuwari' on me when I say you're clumsy."_

_With her hand still resting on her lap with the injured finger facing up, she glared at him as he strolled to her side. "I'm not clumsy," she pouted._

"_Sure, you're not. Then, why is your finger bleeding?" Kneeling before his mate, the hanyou reached for her hand and tenderly took her wounded finger in his mouth._

_Her breath caught in her throat when she saw what he was doing, and heat flooded her cheeks. How did he manage to make her blush after all these years? Especially after all those things they had done together. Her face began to burn down to her chest, and she shook her head as if to scatter her naughty thoughts. Not trusting her voice, she whispered, "If you must know, it's because of you."_

"_Me? What did I do?" he murmured distractedly._

_The softness and warmth of his mouth sent shivers up her spine. But then, the image of the same mouth moaning out _her_ name as he writhed in his dream flashed before her eyes, and suddenly, her anger returned full force. 'Tell him!' the seething part of her screamed in her head. 'You and your sweet dreams turned me into a wreck. Say it! My husband is dreaming of the 'other woman' every night, and I am so pathetic that I don't know how to vent out my anger.' She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come to her. The angry Kagome in her head continued ranting uncaringly. 'And, did I say that the other woman has been dead for years? How can I compete with someone who's already dead? Just spit it out! If I'm not enough for you, what are you doing with me?'_

_She shook her head mentally, and the woman that loved Inuyasha, the real Kagome took control of her thoughts. 'How can I ask that? What if he confirms my fears? I don't think I can stand hearing that. What would I do in that case? Forget about what he said and in the process, forget about my pride and honor and act as if nothing happened? No, I can't. I did that too many times to count in the past. I can't continue pretending that everything is fine. Then, what? Would I leave him?' Even before she thought about it, she knew she wouldn't leave him even if her life depended on it. She loved him too much to devoid herself of him. Besides, there were also the children she had to think about._

_Frustrated, she snatched her hand back and hissed, "You barged in here and scared me!"_

_The hanyou was taken aback by the hostility in her attitude and the anger in her voice. "What the hell is wrong with you?"_

"_Nothing's wrong with me," she grumbled. "I'm perfectly fine."_

"_The hell you are!" bellowed the half-demon as he tried to make eye contact with her._

_She sighed tiredly and closed her eyes as she muttered, "Just leave me alone, Inuyasha."_

_Discouraged by the distance she was putting between them, he jumped to his feet and growled, "Whatever." As he headed for the door, she heard him grumble, "Bitch."_

"_I told you to not call me that," she warned._

"_I'll call you a bitch whenever you're being one," he snapped back and pointedly added, "bitch."_

_Kagome growled impressively before she closed her eyes and yelled, "Osuwari!"_

_He hit the floor hard with a loud cry of, "Fuck!" When the spell finally wore off, he sprang to his feet. "Dammit! I'm out of here!" With that, he stormed out of the house._

_She ran to the door after him, already regretting her seemingly groundless outburst. She whimpered as she watched him disappear into the forest. He wouldn't be returning tonight. This was not the first time he left after a fight. Now, he was gone again. She was only driving him away by treating him like this. Perhaps, he wasn't aware of his dreams. Perhaps, he didn't even remember them. Did she have the right to blame him if that was the case?_

_She cried silently as she collapsed on her knees. It was not that she expected him to forget about Kikyo. She would never expect that. But, it had been more than six years since her clay body was destroyed in that field, and they had been married for the better part of it. If he was dreaming of Kikyo, did that mean Kagome was not enough for him? She knew that the hanyou cared for her deeply, but perhaps, those feelings did not run as deep as his love for the woman who loved him first. He had chosen Kikyo over her once, and in her nightmares, Kagome still saw that the deceased priestess had somehow come back to life and that Inuyasha went after her._

_Seeing him running away like that was almost like watching him go after _her_ again._

_But this time, Kagome was not going to sit by and wait for his return. This time, she had to think of her children who needed their father even more than she needed her mate. Things could not continue like this. She was going to solve it today. First, she was going to find him and apologize. Then, she was going to either ask him about those damn dreams or forget that they ever happened. That final decision could be made after she found him._

_Determined, she stood up._

_Hours later, Kagome sat nervously on Kirara's back as the cat demon flew over hills and forests, following Inuyasha's scent. She had asked Keiko to keep an eye on her babies, to which the young priestess heartily agreed with a warm smile. She made a mental note to find a way to pay back the priestess' kindness after things were settled. Luckily, Kohaku was in the village along with Kirara, and the cat demon had agreed to help her find her mate._

_She patted the neko's fur lovingly before she asked, "We haven't lost him, have we, Kirara? Do you think we'll catch him?" Her answer came in the form of a roar, which Kagome supposed was affirmative._

_They flew for a few more minutes before they landed at the base of a hill. She smiled in relief when she saw crimson and silver in the distance, gently flapping in the breeze like the flames of a torch. However, her face fell once she registered where exactly they were standing._

_Inuyasha sat on the small hill where he had held Kikyo in his arms crying all those years ago, where they had said their final goodbyes and where he had kissed her for the last time. He seemed broken._

_The burning in her eyes and the pain in her heart were a distant memory as she stood still as a stone, unable to think, unable to feel, unable to breathe. He let out an anguished cry then, and it shattered Kagome's heart into a million pieces._

_A lone tear caressed her cheek soothingly, and the miko turned her back to the scene, unable to bear the sight of him anymore._

* * *

The group stopped once they reached the castle walls. Kagome kneeled down to check on the hanyou once again, unable to let him out of her sight. A pathetic whimper escaped her when she touched his forehead with the back of her hand. His fever had gotten worse.

She heard Miroku swear profusely and she looked up in astonishment to see the monk-turned-ninja kick the wall angrily, a pile of rope dangling in his hand. "Dammit! Damn Keiko! Damn the new moon, and damn us for forgetting about it! How the hell are we going to carry him to the other side? Damn it all!"

"Now, now… I believe that's not the way a respectable monk such as yourself is supposed to talk, Miroku."

The three companions gasped and looked at the source of the tiny voice that was currently perched on Miroku's shoulder. "Myoga?" squeaked Kagome, perplexed.

"Well hello, my dear lady. It's wonderful to see you again!"

"Exactly how long have you been here, Myoga?" asked Sango suspiciously.

"Umm…" trailed off the old flea as the fingers on his two pairs of arms drummed against each other nervously. "I've been here with Lord Inuyasha the entire time."

"Why didn't you show yourself before?" questioned Miroku.

"Because I wasn't needed before!"

"And we need you now? How so? Are you planning to give us a hand to carry your master over this wall?" asked Sango with a snort.

"No!" cried out the demon, jumping up and down frantically.

Everyone raised an eyebrow at him knowingly, and Myoga hurriedly added, "Not that I wouldn't help if I could. But, you shouldn't carry him like that. It's too risky. Master Inuyasha is injured."

Miroku interrupted the flea's explanation. "We can see that, Myoga. But, we have to try. We'll be careful, I promise."

"No, you don't see anything!" screeched the old retainer as all four of his hands waved chaotically in urgency. "That wound in his abdomen… It's worse than it looks. I saw how it happened! That sword almost protruded on the other side!"

A pitiful sob came from Kagome who looked to be on the verge of tears.

The minuscule demon sighed at the pain visible on the young woman's face before he continued. "Thankfully, the bleeding stopped before he transformed. But, if you jostle him around, that wound might reopen, and in his state, he might not survive until sunrise."

"Fuck," exclaimed the monk, receiving odd glances from his companions. He gave them a sheepish look as he scratched his masked head. "That leaves us no choice. Sango," he called to his wife. Once she acknowledged him with a nod, he announced his plan. "You go and get Kirara. I'll take the barrier down." The slayer nodded grimly, and Miroku turned to Kagome. "I need you to stay with Inuyasha and protect him. We'll find a place you can hide until we return."

Five minutes later, the unconscious hanyou-turned-human was placed behind several wooden boxes loaded on a cart in front of the wall. Kagome sat by his side, holding a short sword that was thrust in her hand by an anxious slayer.

"Be very, very careful," the tajiya almost pleaded before leaving the miko to fend for herself and her mate. Sango threw the hooked end of the rope high and sharply tugged at it once to check if the metal held securely. She climbed fast with the agility earned by a lifetime's worth of experience.

Once his wife disappeared behind the wall, Miroku turned to Kagome. He opened his mouth as if to say something but was cut short when they heard men shouting. "Damn," he hissed under his breath. "Do not let anyone see you," he whispered quietly before he took off to the shadows and disappeared from her sight.

"Myoga?" whispered Kagome but received no response. The flea must have tagged along with the others. 'He's probably with Sango.' After all, the slayer was the safest of all choices at the moment. She knew he wouldn't be able to help her even if he had stayed. But suddenly, Kagome felt all alone, and even the company of a coward seemed reassuring. She let out a long suffering breath and tightened her hold on the sword, bracing herself for what was to come.

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard footsteps approaching along with distant murmurs. She peeked around one of the boxes to see a group of soldiers running around. Their weapons were drawn, and they seemed to be looking for something or someone. 'They're searching for us. They must have found the soldiers we left in the dungeons. Keiko must be free by now. I bet she'll send the whole army after us.'

She didn't dare breathe as the group passed by the cart. Unfortunately, Inuyasha chose that moment to start mumbling. "Rei…" he moaned, and Kagome's eyes widened in terror. "Rai… 'Gome, no…" Panicked, the young woman quickly glanced at the soldiers, and to her relief, they didn't look like they heard anything. "…come back," the hanyou whispered before his mate's lips covered his mouth with a tender kiss. Leaning over his form she kept his mouth closed until she was sure there was no one else around.

Once the danger was gone, she took her lips off of his and caressed his cheek, careful of his injuries. "I'm here, Inuyasha," she said softly. "I came back and I'll never leave you ever again," she promised with determination.

Kagome was so lost in the moment that she almost screamed when a booming sound echoed in the distance. She looked up to see the lights penetrating the darkness of the moonless night from behind several buildings. 'The shrine! Miroku!' Apparently, the monk had resorted to using the same method Inuyasha had used when he had kidnapped Kagome a few weeks ago. In that case, Miroku must have no other choice left. She hoped he would return safely after taking the attention of the whole castle onto himself.

She could hear the angry shouts even from where she was hiding at the back of the castle. She was so engrossed in trying to decipher what was happening in the town that she almost jumped when she caught movement from the corner of her eye.

A slim figure emerged from the shadows, its tail swishing behind it. Lights flared once again in the city, illuminating two green orbs looking directly at where the couple was hidden. "Shippo?" Kagome murmured as she slowly got off the cart.

"Kagome," came her answer in a low whisper. Emerald swirled with joy at first, but it was quickly replaced with sadness and then with panic when the young woman took off in his direction.

"No!" Shippo cried out, effectively stopping the miko mid-way. "Please," the kitsune whispered then. "Don't c-come near me. R-run away."

"Why?" was all Kagome could say as she stood frozen a few feet away from her adopted child.

"I'll h-hurt you," Shippo managed to get out with obvious difficulty. "It's her c-collar. S-she made me sniff y-you out."

Kagome smiled at him affectionately. "You won't hurt me." She took a step forward.

Shippo shook his head frantically, but the miko was unfazed. "I'll set you free," she announced and approached the fox demon carefully but determinedly.

Things became blurry for a split second, and before Kagome knew it, she was standing with her back facing the boy, his sharp claws hovering over her neck threateningly.

"I t-told you to run away," he gritted out between clenched teeth. "Why couldn't you l-listen to r-reason for once?"

His claws were slowly digging into her throat, extracting warm blood from the holes on her skin. She whimpered as her vision blurred with tears. Was it going to end like this? Was she going to be killed by one of her loved ones all because of a stupid spell? 'No.' Was Inuyasha going to be slaughtered in his sleep by the child he had saved countless times? 'Please, no.' Shippo was going to be a murderer. He wouldn't be able to live with that. 'Damn you, Keiko!'

Suddenly, her breath was knocked out of her and she found herself on the ground. She rose on her arms with difficulty, and the kitsune's unconscious body slid off of her back. Looking up, her eyes met smoldering grey ones as Inuyasha stood there shakily, the sheathed Tetsusaiga hanging from his hand limply.

She gasped when he scrunched his eyes shut and doubled over, his free arm clutching at his abdomen. He let out a pained groan then, sending the miko into a frenzy. She was up on her feet in a flash and she managed to catch him before he crashed to the ground. She laid him on his back, asking him if he was all right and begging him to hang on. She pried his arm off of his stomach. She didn't need to open his shirt to know that his wound was reopened; the front of his shirt was quickly becoming soaked with fresh blood.

A new onslaught of tears washed her cheeks. Luckily, the hanyou passed out before he could see them. At least, he wouldn't feel pain this way. She dragged him toward the cart as gently as she could. Once they were a safe distance away from Shippo's stirring form, she erected a barrier using the short sword she had left in the cart before she had foolishly ran to the fox demon and mindlessly thrown herself and her mate's life into danger.

With trembling hands, she took the hanyou's limp one and brought it to her lips, kissing his knuckles apologetically. "Please, Inuyasha. You _must_ survive."

Her attention was diverted when lights flared behind the barrier. Fox fire wrapped around the sphere of spiritual energy, green flames licking at the invisible wall and rising to the air when the barrier did not give way.

Shippo created a new ball of fire, then. It swirled in his open palm menacingly before the boy sent it high to the air. 'No! He's sending a signal flare to give away our location.'

Kagome didn't have much time to panic, though, because Sango chose that moment to arrive with Kirara. The slayer had collected the Hiraikotsu from where she had hidden it, and now, the gigantic boomerang rested on her back as the neko landed in between Kagome's barrier and her reluctant attacker.

Jumping down, Sango took a defensive stance as she put the Hiraikotsu in front of her. Behind the wall the tajiya created with her weapon and her body, Kagome brought her barrier down and let Kirara approach.

"Get him out of here, Kagome!" ordered Sango as she intercepted several enormous mushrooms headed in their direction. "We'll be all right!" she shouted before adding in a muted tone, "We'll meet you in the village."

Nodding determinedly, the miko used all her might to place the hanyou on a crouched Kirara's back. She didn't waste a second to sit behind his slouched form. She had barely secured Inuyasha in her arms when the neko stood up.

She saw Sango dodge the fox demon's monstrous spinning top before she felt the ground slide from under them as Kirara took to the air.

_

* * *

Kagome saw nothing as the neko flew over the lands for hours. She felt nothing as the wind mercilessly whipped her hair. She became aware of her surroundings only when Kirara's feet touched the ground. They were back in the village._

_What was she going to do now? She didn't want to go home. She didn't want to see the place she had considered her heaven. Not now. Not yet._

_She heard children's laughter in the distance and saw her babies running toward the forest merrily. Her babies. If anything could save her from this unbearable sorrow, it was them. Keiko was fast on their tail. The priestess turned then, and seeing Kagome watching them, she waved at the young woman. Kagome waved back weakly, signaling that she would be with them soon._

_Hopping down from Kirara's back, she patted the neko absentmindedly before following after the trio. Her feet moved of their own volition as she was lost in her thoughts._

_Now that she knew the truth, she had no way out of this nightmare. She couldn't live without Inuyasha, nor could she stand being with him. She couldn't take her children away from him, nor could she bear leaving them with their father._

_But, how could she go on like this? How could she touch him and not think that it was _her_ caresses he was craving? How could she let him touch her and not wonder if he was feeling her or Kikyo? How could she watch him play with her children and not wonder if he was wishing they were Kikyo's?_

_She couldn't stay, nor could she leave. She was trapped._

_With a miserable sob, she looked up to the heavens, and was met with the sight of magnificent branches hovering over her. 'The Goshinboku.' Like a magnet, the ancient tree had called out to her, and without even realizing, she had answered its call. Somehow, she was drawn to this place — this one spot where everything started, where she had seen him for the first time._

_She could almost see him still pinned to the tree, sleeping like an angel — her beautiful angel. He had looked so innocent then, so harmless. How could she have known he would turn her world upside down, give her the greatest happiness and then take it back?_

_Stepping up to the tree's trunk, she reached for the place he had been sealed. 'No.' She couldn't touch it. Not anymore._

_An anguished sob ripped from her tormented soul, and she fell to her knees in tears. Her fists clenched at her sides, her fingers digging to the earth in an attempt to soothe the craving to hurt something — anything — but miserably failing in the end._

_If she had never met him in the first place, none of this would have happened. If she had never known him, life would have been easier — meaningless, but more bearable. Somewhere at the back of her mind and deep in her heart, she knew she would regret even thinking about it but she couldn't help it as she cried out, "I wish I had never laid eyes on you!"_

_The moment those words left her lips, a strange numbness crept up her body, leaving her mind cornered as emptiness fought to take over. A warm hand grasped her shoulder tightly as a familiar yet unknown voice whispered promises of happiness, a different life and the end of pain._

"_Let it go," it said sweetly._

_She couldn't let go, could she?_

'_Let what go?'_

"_Let him go," it demanded this time._

'_I can't,' she resisted. 'I don't want to.' But the emptiness was powerful, and the numbness felt good. It didn't _hurt_._

"_It is easy," the voice coaxed. But still, something inside her didn't want to listen. She didn't want to let him go. Whoever _he_ was._

"_Forget," the soothing voice finished._

_And, Kagome forgot._

_The young mother walked among the trees dazedly and stopped in front of the Bone Eater's well. As if blind, she failed to see her children running toward her, waving enthusiastically. The little girl's cries for her mother to get her brother off of her tail fell on deaf ears._

_The priestess that escorted the young woman whispered, "Go now. Live your life like you were supposed to. And forget that this world ever existed. Never. Come. Back."_

_Then, she pushed the hanyou's beloved miko into the black hole._

_The last thing Kagome saw before darkness took her was the wooden walls of the well._

* * *

Kagome had a hard time breaking her gaze from the unconscious half-demon's tormented face. He was half-lying in her lap as they traveled away from the castle. It had been hours since they had left that dreaded place in chaos. But, there were still several hours until dawn.

With a sigh, she looked down. The first thing she could make out was the wooden walls of the Bone Eater's well as Kirara started to descend to the ground. She closed her eyes in relief, knowing that this journey was almost over. In less than two minutes, she was standing in front of an unusually large hut, helping the neko carry Inuyasha inside.

They passed through the small garden where she used to grow vegetables and where her children used to play. They passed through the wooden door her mate diligently crafted for her convenience. She stopped once she was inside the room where she had spent the good part of a winter naked, making love to her beloved hanyou.

A tragic smile lightly tugged up the corners of her mouth.

After almost ten years, she was home again.

**End of Chapter 15**

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End Notes:**

Special thanks to Ai Kisugi for her suggestion about Inu hearing two heartbeats from Kagome's belly.


	16. Anchor in the Storm

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Since the characters are borrowed and this story can be read free of charge, I obviously do not make any monetary gains by writing it.

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Author's note:** If I say the next chapter is finished and coming up in two weeks, would it be good enough of an apology for my tardiness? I sincerely hope so.

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Important Note:**

The last review I received for this story reminded me that some readers find the first chapter rather long and boring. I, however, refuse to make anymore changes on my previous chapters. But, I can't blame those readers. Thankfully, something Ai Kisugi said gave me an idea, and I decided a **PROLOGUE** for Heartless is in order. I believe it will not only make the beginning of this story more interesting for new readers, but also provide my current readers a teaser of things to come in the next few chapters. If you're interested, the prologue is in the beginning of the first chapter. Thanks to Kaelle for the stimulating review!

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***Special thanks to my lovely betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree.***

* * *

_

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 16: Anchor in the Storm**

The dark walls of the abandoned structure swathed them in silence the moment the trio stepped in. It was a far cry from the warm, lively home Kagome remembered. The air was damp and cold, reeking of humidity and of neglect and loneliness and resentment, and it was so very _silent_.

Like a grave.

The flames Kirara let loose on her tails illuminated their surroundings, and the miko could see that everything was just as she had left it — apart from the ten years' worth of dust covering the surfaces. Piles of wood, shelves of pottery, jars, buckets, a now rotten collection of herbs… Everything stayed untouched. Even her old red hakama was unmoved — the one she had been stitching when she had last seen Inuyasha in that room with their children. The garment still lay where she had let it fall before going after her mate to spy on him that final day in the feudal era. It was as if not even rogues had dared to enter the house, this tomb of her happiest days. It was as if everything had turned to stone to preserve what had been…

It stood as a monument to what she had destroyed so carelessly.

Tinkling laughter of children echoed in her mind — the faint song of ghosts one could not let go. But like memories tended to do, they faded into nothingness under the overwhelming reality of the present, leaving in their wake the sting of tears in her eyes and the never-ceasing fire of loss that burned her from the inside out.

Taking in a deep breath, she urged the cat demon to the back of the house. As they slowly approached their destination, her eyes flickered between the painful expression on her unconscious mate's face and the blood that tainted the neko's fur under the hanyou's stomach.

Upon entering the bedroom, her gaze fell on the futon that lay open against the back wall, close to the hearth. The day she had followed Inuyasha, she had been too agitated to deal with her daily tasks, and the futon was left as it had been, unfolded with the blanket sprawled haphazardly after another restless night. Just like everything else within those walls, it haunted her, reminded her of the day she had made the biggest mistake of her life.

The pang of guilt in her chest was followed by deep sorrow that threatened to overcome her adrenalin-inflicted determination. Clenching her teeth and blinking furiously against the onslaught of tears that blurred her vision, she led Kirara further into the room. The neko crouched next to the futon, and grunting in exertion, Kagome carefully eased the hanyou-turned-human down onto the layers of sheet and blanket.

As she gently laid his head on the pillow, Inuyasha whimpered in pain. Hovering over him for a few more seconds, she swept his dark locks off of his forehead and smoothed his brows lovingly. She hissed when her fingertips connected with his skin. He was burning with fever.

The miko scurried to her feet and hurried out of the room with the cat demon in tow. With the help of Kirara's light, she located a few logs dry from years of wait in the main room. She gathered the wood in her arms and shuffled back to Inuyasha's side. Kindling a thin piece of log on the neko's tail, she set it among the pile of wood in the hearth to let the flames spread.

She glanced at the hanyou. His skin glistened with sweat in the growing light. His handsome face — marred with cuts and blood — was contorted with a scoff, and she wondered what nightmares his subconscious was forcing upon him. Occasional tremors ran down his body, and his fingers twitched where they lay over the covers. She ached to go to him, to take his pain away with her touch like she used to, but it wasn't that simple this time.

Nothing was simple now.

Her guilt, his pain, their love… Everything was tainted with _the loss_.

_The loss_ that felt like a hole in her chest — her very own kazaana that threatened to suck what was left of her into nothingness. This curse, however, she had bestowed upon herself.

Fisting her hands in frustration, she ran back to the main room. It didn't take her long to locate the old buckets beneath the dusty pots sitting on the corner shelf. "Kirara," she called, but the feline was already behind her when she turned around. Releasing an encouraging purr, the neko opened her mouth in offering, much to Kagome's relief.

"Thank you, my friend," she whispered as she hung one of the bucket's handle on the cat demon's awaiting jaw. With a soft snort, Kirara walked out of the door before taking to the air.

Forcing her trembling limbs to act to her will, Kagome grabbed one of the larger pots. She slid open the door to the bathroom to find the small pool the hanyou had tactfully built for her convenience when he had built the house. The pool was connected to the hot springs located nearby, and she let out a small sigh of relief seeing that it was still filled with warm water. She plunged the pot in, filling it to the lid, and scurried off back to the bedroom, back to Inuyasha's side.

She carefully placed the pot over the fire and turned to check on her patient. He lay silent, shivering in his dampened clothes. It wouldn't be long before the fire chased away the humidity in the air. 'Clothes. I need clothes.' With that thought, she was back into action as her eyes searched the room for something to clean him up with. She spotted the medium-sized chest, where she had kept their clothing, in the corner opposite from where the futon lay.

She sat down on her bent legs in front of the chest and opened it to find her red hakama and white shirt resting on top of a pile of kimonos and white yukata. Without thinking, she plunged her hand into the chest and started ripping the first piece of cloth that she grasped into several pieces: some small enough for cleaning and others long enough for bandaging.

Tears blurred her vision once again, but from the whiteness and size of it, she could tell she was butchering a relatively unused yukata. Her knuckles turned white as she tugged on the fabric with more force than necessary. The small battle against the cloth was nowhere near relieving, but she still took some comfort in the sound as the fabric cried out each time she ripped another piece off of it. The garment slowly died in her hands, but she felt no better in the end. She was still in her personal hell, where she would likely stay for the remaining of her days. Could it get any worse than this?

A soft grunt saved her from her depressing revelations and brought her attention back to the man lying a few feet away from where she sat. Inuyasha's lips moved as soundless words left his lips. He was delirious — again. "No," he muttered, his scratchy voice barely audible to her human ears. "Kag'me."

She couldn't keep in the sob that tore from her chest. The cruel reality she had found herself in was without a doubt no better than hell, but still, it could have been worse.

She could have lost _him_.

"Don't… don't leave," he whispered. His voice was small, a soft caress on her weak ears. But, its tug at her soul was infinitely stronger, and she was drawn to his side. He was reliving his worst memories — one in which she had left him. She wondered which one it was: The last time she had run away with his rosary, leaving him in the Western Castle; when she had left through the well for almost ten years; or even before that, when the well had closed after the jewel was destroyed, separating them for three years. A new crack formed in her heart with each remembrance, and guilt and shame flooded through the gaps. 'How will I ever deserve his forgiveness? How will _I_ forgive _myself_?'

Valiantly trying to be strong for the both of them, she shushed him as she stroked his cheeks and forehead. "It's okay, Inuyasha," she cooed. "I'm here now. Everything's going to be okay." She winced as the lies crossed her lips with remarkable ease. Nothing was going to be all right again, for a big part of their lives was missing, lost forever. _The loss_ was going to be there until the end of time no matter how many lies she told him or herself.

Stealing her nerves, she deliberately pushed that knowledge away and ignored the large hole in her heart that was silently bleeding the tears she refused to shed for the time being. Her hands shook as she loosened the ties to his hakama. Pulling the garment open, she gently eased it off of his arms. His shirt was already shredded in several places, and the front of it was drenched in blood. The miko had no qualms tearing the offending cloth off of him.

She was gathering the bloody remains of his shirt when Kirara arrived with the bucket full of water dangling in her jaw. The miko set the fresh water aside and proceeded to clean the hanyou's wounds with the uneven remnants of her yukata and the hot water on the fire.

The cat demon watched her struggles with somber eyes from where she lay across the fire. Kagome was lost in her own world as she dabbed at his fractured skin tenderly, murmuring words of love and reassurance to his ears even though he couldn't possibly hear her. It was when the neko let out a frightened whimper that the woman stopped talking. As if coming out of a trance, she noticed what had been missing for the last several minutes.

She noticed, and she froze.

No sound came out of Inuyasha's mouth except for the faint puff of his labored breathing — his labored breathing that was fading by the second.

The bloodied washcloth fell from her slackened grip, gliding down the front of her battered yukata like the last crimson leaf of fall. "No," she whispered. "No, no, no. You can't give up."

He had to survive. He was her anchor, and without him, she'd be lost forever.

"Look at me, Inuyasha," she demanded desperately, shaking his half-dead form with determination even as she felt him slipping away. "I didn't give up…," she whispered before she had to swallow against the panic swelling in her chest and she choked out, "…for you." Hot tears she could no longer keep fell on his ashen face. She cupped his cheeks, wiping the tangible proof of her sorrow over his cooling skin and inadvertently mixing it with his blood. "I still live for you. You have to survive. You _will_ survive. You will live, Inuyasha. I will do everything in my power to make you smile again. But please, love… you have to survive first."

She received no response, not even the faintest move of an eye behind closed eyelids. Her lips hardened into a thin line and her hands fisted at his sides, holding her up as she closed her eyes in silent acceptance. Her voice was hard with determination when she tried one last time, "If you go, I swear I'll follow you. You hear me?!"

No matter how much she tried, though, her pleas and her desperate threats fell on deaf ears as his color continued to fade.

* * *

When he had been alive, Inuyasha hadn't thought about the afterlife often and he sure as hell hadn't given a damn about where he would end up once everything was said and done. But in the few instances that he had considered his death, he had had no doubt that he would be burning in hell once some lucky bastard managed to bring his stubborn ass down for good.

He had been right; he _was_ burning. He was a piece of smoldering coal, slowly deteriorating inch by agonizing inch. There was fire somewhere inside of him; that much he knew. Was it his whole body? Or was it only his heart? He couldn't tell. Where there was fire, there was supposed to be light. But apparently in hell, even as strong an inferno as he had found himself in had no power to shed light over the consuming darkness.

He didn't like darkness.

Darkness was abandonment.

Darkness was loneliness.

Darkness was the void that came with loss.

Darkness was where he had spent his solitary days.

He wanted out.

An eternity had passed in excoriating pain before numbness took over. He was floating in nothingness, scattered in the emptiness like a leaf in the storm. All feeling receded, and he could tell he was slipping away with no power to stop the current, with nothing to hold onto. The lack of pain was a relief at first, and he would have welcomed the peace if it wasn't for the nagging feeling that he was forgetting something.

Something that had been left behind.

Something he had held onto until his last breath.

Something he was supposed to fight for.

Something worth living for.

Something… or, _someone_.

Panic gripped his unbeating heart, and he reached for something — anything — to hold onto in the darkness with nonexistent limbs. He cried out in desperation, but the sound was drowned in the silence, or perhaps, his ears were deaf to his own voice. Then, there was warmth and wetness on his face. Did he cry? With the warmth came the light — small but powerful. "Love," it whispered, and he felt it fill the silence of his heart. "I'll follow you," it declared, and he knew it would. He wanted to laugh at its stupidity because he wasn't going anywhere. As if he could ever leave the light behind…

Light was warmth.

Light was love.

Light was life.

Light was salvation.

It was his anchor in the storm, and he clung to it with all his being.

The sliver of light widened as his eyes cracked open to the blurry image of his savior. The first rays of a new day washed over her hair and sparkled on her teary face as if she was the source of light.

To him, she _was_ the light and she was beautiful.

She was the warmth of silent tears on his skin.

She was love.

She was life.

She was his salvation.

His only anchor to everything that was worth fighting for.

A beatific smile blossomed on her angelic face, and more tears dropped on his cheeks like tiny pieces of diamonds born from brilliant sapphire, cleansing his soul with the warmth of love.

In all the years he had lived, Inuyasha had never thought he would go to heaven.

_

* * *

Fire._

_It was everywhere._

_Behind the flames, the smooth metal of swords and arrows directed at him glowed with the reddish light of hell._

_He was surrounded._

_He tightened his grip on the sword, but the small amount of comfort the deadly weapon in his hands provided him did nothing to alleviate his longing for the familiar weight of his staff._

_He was going to die for sure, but strangely, Miroku didn't mind._

_He had done what he could to right his wrongs, and somehow, he knew that everything would be all right. His family was out of reach and protected, and his beloved was away from this circle of hell and strong enough to fight and survive for their family. Everything would be all right even if he was gone._

_He took a deep breath and raised his sword, ready to go down fighting._

_Instead of the first attack he'd been expecting, though, an enraged war cry erupted from behind the circle and a misleadingly delicate figure burst through the flames like an angry tornado. The warmth of his wife's body both comforted and infuriated the monk as the couple stood back-to-back and faced their enemies._

"_Sango," he hissed, eyeing the circle as it narrowed down slowly. "What do you think you're doing?"_

"_I'm not going to let you die alone, Miroku." Her voice was hard with her unwavering determination. "I don't care who I need to slay; I'm not going to let you die period."_

_The monk growled in annoyance — an impressive sound even in comparison to the ones he used to hear from his half-demon friend. "Look around you!" he exclaimed as he shook his head in disapproval. "There is no escape from here, my love."_

"_Then, we'll die together," announced the slayer with conviction. "Don't you know yet, husband?" she asked in a soft whisper as her free hand came around to clasp his reassuringly. "I won't live a day without you."_

_And then, there was the cry of soldiers as they came at the couple from everywhere. Swords flashed, and arrows whizzed by his ears incessantly. He felt Sango tense behind him before he heard the clank of metal against metal as she received the first of their attackers. "No," he mumbled in terror. She was, once again, willing to die with him, and once again, he could do nothing to stop her._

"No, Sango. No…"

The sound of his voice awoke the monk to the dim light of the dungeon cell. He raised his head to see his beloved lying on the stone floor by the opposite wall, helplessly attached to the wall with long chains secured on her wrists and ankles. At least, she wasn't denied the comfort of sleeping on the ground, and he was glad for that unexpected show of mercy in the face of their treason. He yanked at his chains, causing the clasps to dig into his skin even more. He hissed in pain and felt warm blood glide down his wrists to his forearms.

After he had left Inuyasha in Kagome's care last night, he had sneaked into the shrine and had successfully taken down the barrier, blowing half the shrine away in the process. Thanks to his less than subtle ways, he had been surrounded by the soldiers before he could sneak away. He had been ready to go down fighting, but Sango had appeared out of nowhere, refusing to leave his side. They had deflected the attacks and fought as long as they could before they were held down, luckily without serious injuries. The next thing Miroku knew, they had been carried to the dungeons, and he was now in the same position they had found Inuyasha not more than a few hours ago.

He sighed in relief, remembering that he had sent Myoga to warn his friends and his children. Miroku hadn't planned on getting captured, but seeing how they ended up, he couldn't argue that they had a sound plan after all. He had prayed for luck, but luck had abandoned them at one point. Still, he was grateful that Myoga had surprisingly stuck with him instead of choosing the safer route and running off with Sango when she had left to retrieve Kirara. The flea demon had made his presence known once it had been certain that the monk was not leaving the castle unnoticed, giving Miroku the chance to send Myoga off to the village to relay his messages.

He knew he wasn't going to leave this place alive. In the eyes of the humans, he and his wife were traitors, and the penalty for treason was death. He was not worried for his children; Kohaku would keep them safe. He was, however, distraught by the fact that he wasn't going to die alone.

Sometimes, he really wished Sango didn't love him so much.

* * *

Smoke rose from the shallow hole in the small garden as Kagome stirred the fire with a stick, letting the flames engulf the remains of her bloody yukata. She breathed deeply as the breeze picked up, sending wet strands of her hair flying around her head. She felt much better now that she had freshened up. The familiar, tough fabric of her red hakama was comforting on her legs, and the clean white shirt she now wore was a welcome change from the ruined yukata she had worn for days.

Now that she had a moment to breathe, she was finally feeling the effects of the whirlwind of activity she had been through. The warm rays of the afternoon sun relaxed her aching muscles, tempting her to close her eyes and to give in to exhaustion. It had been too long since she had slept, but the miko still had work to do before she could succumb to sleep.

She sighed tiredly as she stood up and returned to the bedroom to find her mate asleep. He would have been up and about by now, regardless of his injuries, if it wasn't for the sleeping draught she had concocted and had actually managed to make him drink. She even made him drink some of the broth she had cooked with the rabbit Kirara had brought earlier. Thanks to Kaede's medicinal teachings, Inuyasha had slept through the changing of his dressings, sparing Kagome the guilt of causing him pain even if it was for his well-being.

Retrieving the bowl she had left by the fire, the young woman flopped down to her knees. She set to crushing the herbs she had gathered earlier in the forest, occasionally adding small amounts of water to turn the mixture into paste. As her hands continued the monotonous work, her eyes were drawn to the hanyou. She gazed at his beautiful face — peaceful in slumber — with no small amount of relief. The cuts on his cheeks were mostly healed, leaving only thin, red lines in their wake that would completely disappear in a matter of hours.

A lot of things could change in a matter of hours.

Before dawn, she had thought that she was going to lose him forever. Had it been her broken pleas, or had it merely been the return of his demonic aura with the first rays of sun? She didn't know how, and it didn't matter in the end.

He was alive.

However, in the few moments that she had almost lost him, there had been no doubt in her mind that she would follow him without hesitation. He was the only thread that tied her to this world now and knowing that helped her realize something else.

He would feel the same.

Everything she had lost, he had lost as well, if not more. While she had never known what she had destroyed, he hadn't been blessed with the luxury of not knowing and had to live with the pain of his loss for almost ten years. She still had no idea if he was aware of what had happened to their children. But in any case, the poor guy had to endure so much, and all that time, the miko had been blissfully ignorant in another world. After everything she had caused, Kagome owed it to Inuyasha to be strong. She didn't have the right to give up because if she did, he would give up, too. Something, or someone, had to keep him standing and give him strength.

That would be her.

She had always wanted him to live, to laugh a lot. He, at least, deserved to be able to smile again. He deserved to live, and Kagome was going to make sure that he did. That was, of course, if he let her near him again once he regained consciousness and found out how much her mistakes had cost him.

She scoffed at the all-too-familiar self-doubt that tried to invade her thoughts once more. She wasn't going to succumb to her greatest weakness again. Ever. She was going to fight for the one she loved even if he wanted nothing more to do with her. She was not going to let the father of her children down — not anymore. If she ever saw her babies again in this world or the other, she needed to know that she had done something right by them — for them and for him.

The paste was ready by the time Kagome managed to severe her gaze from the hanyou. Crawling to his side, she eased the make-shift bandages off of his abdomen and applied the balm to his fast-healing wound with care before re-wrapping it with clean cloths.

After wiping her hands off, the miko lay down next to her mate and finally relaxed in what felt like an eternity. She let her head rest on his chest, listening to the reassuring beat of his heart. Inuyasha sniffed once, and then his arm wrapped around her shoulders and his hand fisted in her hair. He pressed her head firmly to his chest as she felt him bury his nose into her hair. She wondered if he was awake, but she couldn't look up at him due to his unyielding grip on her. Before long, a soft snore answered her unasked question. She chuckled silently, knowing that he would be okay in the end.

It was true that too many things were eating at her soul. There were many obstacles waiting to be overcome and an abundance of hurt to be dealt with. Still, in this restless sea of broken emotions, she had her anchor in her arms, and she clung to him with all that she had left.

As long as they had each other, they had hope.

* * *

End of Chapter 16


	17. Heart to Heart

**Disclaimer:** I neither own Inuyasha nor make any monetary gains by torturing him.

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* * *

Special thanks to my lovely betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree.

* * *

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'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dream or memories_

**Chapter 17: Heart to Heart**

Night fell gradually over the village, obscuring the tiny huts spread over the grounds as the laughter of children and the chatter of adults gave way to the silence of sleep. Darkness covered the surrounding forest, exaggerating the eeriness of the woods with the deepened shadows under the sliver of moonlight. A black crow flew over the trees, bypassing the cluster of huts until it reached a secluded building much larger than the usual home of a humble farmer. The bird perched on the roof with a squawk, followed by incomprehensible grumbling the source of which would be difficult to point out even under daylight.

"Finally, you featherbrained, chicken midget!" cried out the scratchy voice of an elderly male as a minuscule figure jumped off the crow's head. "You had to drag me to every village in the vicinity and circle each at least five times before you found the right one, didn't you?" Four little arms flew in the air in a failed attempt to intimidate the disinterested bird before Myoga the flea gave up with a huff on the face of the creature's ignorance. "Why am I even talking to you? You clearly don't understand a word that I'm saying!" Two hands ghosted over his face in exasperation before they joined the other two on his rounded waist. "Oh, well," he sighed tiredly. "_I_ am the baka that hopped on the only bird from hell with no sense of direction. Just forget it." He shook his head at the blank look on the crow's beady eyes before he flailed all four arms impatiently and cried out, "Shoo! Shoo!"

Once the bird from hell took off, Myoga reached one of the back windows in several little jumps. The bedroom was slightly illuminated by the faint glow of embers in the hearth. Inuyasha lay on his back on the futon with Kagome nestled comfortably on his side. Upon his entrance, Kirara looked up from her perch by the sleeping couple's feet. Despite the clean appearance of the room and its occupants, the scent of blood was heavy in the air, making his mouth water.

The old flea hopped down and offered the cat demon a small greeting before he plunged his sting-like mouth into the hanyou's neck. He drank and drank, but his master didn't even flinch under his assault. He pulled back before he killed the already wounded man from blood loss, and then jumped on Kagome to suck from her neck. "Delicious! How I missed these two!" he exclaimed before he dived to indulge in his treat. It was Kirara's warning growl and the discomfort of his over-stuffed belly that finally put an end to the flea's little feast.

"Oh my," he grumbled after his inflated body tumbled to the floor and he ended up lying on his back. "Such lazy sleepers! If that didn't wake them up, I don't know what will." Receiving a snort at his comment, he raised his head to glare at the cat demon. "You think you can do better than that?" he asked only to be met with a dismissing attitude as Kirara looked away from him with her nose in the air. "What? You won't help me?" questioned Myoga in surprise.

The cat demon glanced at the couple. Her glowing red eyes softened at the sight, and he understood her concern. "You think they need to rest, don't you? Kami, they have been through a lot lately." He sighed sadly before he scrambled up to his feet. "Very well. Let them sleep then. I have to go and find Kohaku before it's too late. You keep an eye on them, will you?" The flea opted to waddle toward the door instead of trying the impossible jump back to the window in his current state. Right after he disappeared from sight, he peeked into the room one last time and shook four forefingers in the cat's direction threateningly much to the amusement of his company. "And, don't you dare let them leave before I return!"

* * *

The door to the dungeon cell opened with a loud creak, revealing a burly soldier carelessly jingling the set of keys in his hands. The flames of the single torch flickered with the sudden flux of air, casting animated shadows on his cleanly shaved head.

He appraised the prisoners for a moment. The monk's tall frame hung limply against one wall by the chains on his wrists. The slayer sat helplessly against the opposite wall. Even though she was better off than her husband, the chains on her wrists and ankles were not loose enough to let her reach the monk's side. The scowl on her face clearly reflected her displeasure at the intrusion.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" asked the soldier before his dark eyes narrowed into slits. "Traitors," he hissed venomously.

Miroku raised his head with great effort to see their visitor. "Tadashi," he croaked out. "What are you doing here? Wanted to chat before you killed us, _executioner_?"

The executioner shook his head in disapproval. "Are you mocking me, monk?" He clucked his tongue as he approached Miroku with lazy steps. "It is quite hypocritical of you. At least, I am loyal to my cause. But you…" He paused as his glare jumped from one prisoner to the other. "You should be ashamed of yourselves!" he declared ferociously and spat at Miroku's feet.

"Now, you listen," started Miroku, but his voice was drown by Sango's indignant cry.

"We did what was right!"

"What was right, huh?" asked Tadashi as he stood in front of the slayer. "Are you ready to die for it, then?" Crouching down, he grabbed her by the hair and forced her to look at him.

"Take your hands off of her!" yelled her husband, fighting desperately against his unyielding restraints.

The soldier paid him no mind, scoffing at the woman's vain attempts to grab his hand. "It is a pity that such a pretty head will be wasted," he murmured before releasing her. Not lingering on the slayer's death glare, he returned to Miroku.

Once Tadashi's gaze met his, the monk hissed, "You won't lay a hand on her ever again."

"You can't order me around anymore, traitor!" came the soldier's reply, accompanied by the force of his knuckles on the prisoner's jaw. "You lost that right the moment you chose to betray your comrades!" His next blow landed on Miroku's stomach, extracting a guttural grunt from his victim.

Sango screeched in fury, struggling with her restraints. "Leave him alone!" she shouted just as Tadashi landed another blow to Miroku's jaw. "Stop it, you bastard!" she cried out.

Cradling his abused fist, the executioner turned to her as the monk's head fell limply against his chest. "He will go first," he said before pointing his finger to Sango. "And, you…" He paused as his eyes narrowed at the slayer. "You will watch him die."

"Damn you!" bellowed Sango as the headsman stomped out of the room.

Tadashi never liked the couple since he thought they were too tolerant of their enemies, and he knew the sentiment was mutual. However, he also knew that they were essentially good people. They had been his comrades for years, after all. That was why once he exited the cell and closed the door behind him, his face dropped immediately. Sighing dejectedly, he leaned on the wall, trying to regain his composure.

It was with the lingering heaviness of his encounter that Tadashi entered Lady Keiko's chambers a few minutes later. The lady sat by the window, watching the flurry of activities outside. The castle had come alive that morning after the priestess had met with the lords to discuss the fate of the war. The orders spread quickly afterward; they were to get ready for the final battle.

Tadashi hadn't been surprised by this news. Like most others, he had been aware that the soldiers had been restless for quite some time. They were tired and hopeless. They wanted to go home. They wanted peace. Unless the lords acted soon, a mutiny was inevitable, and they knew it as well. Even though a battle in a foreign territory was highly risky, the decision had been simple for them: If soldiers were going to die, they would die fighting against the enemy rather than against each other. This final blow on the enemy was their only chance to finish this war victorious.

Some of the soldiers believed that it was a suicide mission and attempted to leave; they were now resting in the overflowing dungeons. Most of them, however, trusted the high priestess' judgment and were happy that they would be going home soon.

Tadashi was one of them.

Noticing his presence, Keiko turned to appraise him from behind her veil. "Tadashi, you're back. Please, come closer."

The executioner took a few strides to stand in front of the lady before bowing deeply. As he stood up, she asked, "Did you do as I instructed?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Have you been successful?"

"Yes, my lady. They were both fuming when I left their cell."

"Good," Keiko murmured as she nodded her head in approval. Noting his lingering discomfort, she asked, "Did it bother you? They were your comrades, after all."

He shifted uneasily on his feet, not knowing how to reply. It did bother him, but this was his job and he always obeyed his orders without complaint. Having felt more than he was supposed to during a job was a weakness he was afraid to admit. But the lady's voice made him feel at ease, and he nodded. "I'm afraid it did bother me a little, my lady."

Keiko sighed sadly. "It bothers me as well; I thought they were my friends only two days ago." She shook her head as if to clear it from disturbing thoughts. "But, they betrayed me," she added in a hard voice. "They chose their fate and brought this upon themselves. I find solace in the fact that we might still have a use for those two."

"If you don't mind me asking, my lady," started Tadashi nervously. "That young demon — the fox... He was your friend too, wasn't he? Is that why you let him go yesterday?"

The priestess chuckled humorlessly as she gazed out the window. "I learned long ago that no demon is my friend, even if I had been a friend to them at one time," she uttered dejectedly. She turned to look at him, then. "You can't trust demons, don't you know that yet? Deep down, every single one of them is evil." Seeing the confusion on the executioner's face, she continued, "Yes, I released young Shippo, but not without a reason. Unfortunately, you won't see why since you will be gone with the rest of the army once the time comes."

"Aren't you coming with us, my lady?"

Keiko shook her head. "I have business to attend to, but I will meet you later," she uttered absently before she brightened. "How can I miss the greatest of all victories?"

* * *

Long, dark eyelashes fluttered as the sunlight flickered behind the leaves outside the window. Dog ears twitched lightly, catching the soothing sounds of the forest surrounding the unconventional hut. Then, they caught the soft beat of a heart close by and rotated to focus on the gentle rhythm.

Inuyasha cracked open one eye to see the wooden ceiling of a familiar room. The light weight on his shoulder shifted slightly, and he glanced down to see Kagome curled up at his side, blissfully asleep. A lazy grin tugged at his lips as he gazed at his beloved's slumbering face like the lovesick puppy that he was. She looked beautiful as usual. He loved waking up to the sight of his mate every morning but he knew this peace wouldn't last for long. The pups would be barging into the room any minute now. Reika would be whining about something her brother did, and Raiden would claim his innocence while pestering his father to go out and slaughter unsuspecting trees with the Tetsusaiga.

The half-demon trained his ears toward the door and listened intently to hear their tiny feet shuffling around, but there was no sound. Now, _that _was unusual. They never slept after sunrise. He listened more carefully only to find out that he couldn't hear their soft breathing and the gentle thump of their hearts, either. 'The little menaces must have gone outside already.' But, how could they go out? Had Kagome forgotten to erect the barrier last night?

He sighed, knowing that he would have to get up and see for himself but unwilling to leave his heaven so soon. The simple movement of his chest brought his attention to the uncomfortable tingling on his torso. It was then that Inuyasha finally looked down at his body, stretched out on the futon. He grimaced at the sight, bringing a new onslaught of unwelcome sensations concentrated on his torso. His chest supported countless angry marks everywhere which could only be the remnants of fast healing injuries. 'Of what? Whip? Sword? Dagger?' He wondered what he must have gotten himself into this time to have ended up in such a state.

Gazing lower, he noticed that his waist was wrapped up in white cloth. 'Ahh, so that's why my stomach's itchy.' The wound had been serious if he could still feel it. He would gladly stand the itching, though. Even if it was uncomfortable, it meant he was healing. This wasn't the first time the hanyou opened his eyes to find himself battered up, after all.

"Inuyasha," mumbled Kagome in her sleep, bringing his attention back to her. Now that he was more coherent, he noticed that her skin was paler than normal and her hair was tangled in knots. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her bottom lip was chapped — no doubt due to her nervous chewing. She looked tired even in her sleep. Obviously, she had exhausted herself in order to take care of him. 'How long have I been out?'

He caught a glimpse of burgundy on her yukata, and his sense of smell finally kicked in. The room stank of blood — dried blood, fresh blood, _his blood_. Underneath it all, he could detect Kagome's sweet scent. But, _something_ was missing. 'The pups! I can't smell the pups at all. It's like… they've never been here.' With that revelation, reality sank in, and the heavy weight of sorrow Inuyasha had lived with for years returned to his heart. 'Of course you can't smell them, you baka. They haven't been here for almost ten years.'

His children were still missing, but his mate was with him now. Looking down at her, he felt the corners of his lips lift up in a small smile. At least with Kagome by his side, he still had hope.

As if sensing his gaze, the miko shifted in his embrace, giving the half-demon a better view of her face. His smile turned into a frown when he noticed the healing cuts and bruises on her neck. Dread consumed him, and he stiffened in horror. 'Did I do that? Dammit! Did I transform again?'

Inuyasha tried to push the fear away as he brought his hand up, letting it hover over her tender flesh. He examined the marks carefully, turning his hand this way and that. They did not match, and he exhaled in relief.

As he looked at his hand over her neck, the memory of another clawed hand in the same position came back to him. 'Shippo! That baka!' He gritted his teeth in anger as he recalled how close the kitsune had come to ending Kagome's life. Despite Inuyasha's warning to stay out of his business, the runt had been stupid enough to go after Kagome on his own. It didn't matter how good Shippo's intention had been. In the end, the boy had been caught and had become a pawn of Keiko, just like everybody else.

Inuyasha could remember the wicked priestess' joy as she had finally put her collar on him after years of fighting. His hand flew to his neck, and he exhaled in relief when he realized the collar was gone. He had been taken to the castle by Keiko's men to be chained in the dungeons. It had been cold, dark and damp. He couldn't remember what happened afterward, only that it had been painful… and that Kagome had come for him.

She always came back to him.

He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He called himself her protector — powerful, courageous and ready to die for her any moment. But in fact, this puny human always managed to conquer what he couldn't. She was strong when he failed. She was his savior. Even after all these years, after everything the hanyou had done in the last few weeks, she had saved him… again.

If only she remembered…

Inuyasha sighed tiredly as the weight of his situation descended upon him once more. How convenient it would be to disregard the last ten years of his life, to forget about all the excruciating pain of loss and the stifling loneliness he had suffered. But, nothing had been convenient for him; nothing had been easy. And as it was, he still had no idea where his pups were and he wouldn't find out unless Kagome remembered her past.

His chest started heaving. After Kagome had left, the half-demon couldn't stay in the house he had built for her, and now, he felt like the walls were closing in on him. The air was suffocating without the scent of his pups. He couldn't stay in this place anymore. He needed air.

Careful not to wake his slumbering mate, Inuyasha sat up slowly. Kagome murmured his name in her sleep and rolled away from him. He listened to her even breathing before he stood up. After he grabbed a clean shirt from the chest and picked up his haori, he exited the house with tired strides.

He was tying the ties to his haori as he stepped into the garden. A soft mew brought his attention to the bundle of fur lying curled up next to the door. Kirara looked up at him with apologies in her big, red eyes. Crouching down, the hanyou patted the cat demon's head gently. "I know, my friend. You did what you thought was right. It's okay." After Kirara purred her appreciation, he stood up to leave.

In a flash, the cat jumped and transformed, blocking his way with her giant form. "What?" asked the hanyou, surprised at her behavior. When he stepped to the side, Kirara shifted slightly, blocking in his way once more. "Relax, I'm not going anywhere," he mumbled when he realized her intention. "Keep an eye on Kagome, will you?"

As the cat finally let him pass, Inuyasha could swear she snorted as if to say, "Did you ever need to ask?" As he rolled his eyes at the neko's returning arrogance, he took the path leading into the woods.

The sun shone on him as the half-demon trudged through the grassy fields, but he could make out the heavy clouds threatening to take over the sky. The wind was picking up as well, sending his hair flying over his shoulder every once in a while. A storm was approaching fast.

Once he reached the woods, he looked up at the sound of a gasp. A middle-aged man stood with a bundle of sticks in his arms. His eyes were wide with fear when they met the hanyou's. Inuyasha recognized this man. He had helped the villager build his hut when the human had gotten married. Kagome had helped his wife with the birth of his son. Now, the same guy stood before him with trembling legs before running out of the woods as if he had seen a monster.

A fucking monster.

They had been quick to believe that after all Inuyasha had done to protect this village and all the years he had spent living among them, as one of them. He couldn't really blame them for turning against him so easily, though. After all, they were right to think so. No matter how much he had tried to blend in, the half-demon had still been different; he had always been an outsider. Most importantly, there was a part of him that could easily turn into a monster.

But, it was not the demon in his blood.

It was the man in him that had lost his love and the father that had lost his children. He wanted answers; he wanted closure; he wanted what he had lost back; and if nothing else, he wanted _revenge_. There was no life for this shell of a man beyond those three souls, and frankly, Inuyasha didn't care if he was a monster without them.

It wasn't long before his feet brought him to the one place that always calmed him to some extent: The Goshinboku. He closed his eyes and sat silently against his old friend, taking all the comfort the tree had to offer. He must have dozed off after a while. When he opened his eyes again, it was to the sound of soft footsteps and a tentative call of his name.

"Inuyasha?"

His head shot up, surprised that he hadn't even caught her scent until now. But, there she stood, dressed in the red hakama and white shirt he had been so used to seeing her in and smelling of love, of compassion and hope — smelling of _Kagome_. It would have been perfect were it not for the bitter aroma of fear and remorse tainting his favorite fragrance.

The miko stood awkwardly a few feet away from him with her head bowed down. She timidly peeked at the hanyou from beneath her dark eyelashes while wringing the ties of her hakama nervously. Her voice was weak as she spoke to the ground. "I thought you had left."

He snorted at her words. This wasn't like the fiery and stubborn woman Inuyasha had come to love. He wanted her back. "Why would I leave you?" he muttered, slightly irritated at his constant longing. He had her back in a sense, and if it came down to it, the half-demon would have to learn to be content with that. He would have to accept that she might not remember who she was ever again.

And, who he had been to her…

Kagome's knuckles turned white as her grip tightened on the piece of cloth in her hands, and she mumbled almost inaudibly, "I could think of a few reasons."

That brought a grin to his face. 'Ahh, there's the attitude I missed. Welcome back, wench.' Snickering, he beckoned her closer. "Come here."

The miko looked up then, and seeing his expression, a ghost of a smile passed her features before her eyes glistened with tears. Letting go of the abused cloth in her hands, she ran to him. She dropped to her knees in front of the hanyou, between his spread legs. "How are you feeling?"

Inuyasha shrugged nonchalantly, playing down the hell he had been through for the last few days for her sake. "All right, I guess."

Kagome huffed at his recklessness. "You shouldn't have left the bed," she chided. "You were badly injured, Inuyasha."

"Feh! It's nothing. It's just a scratch. See?" He moved to pull his bandages down to prove his point, but she was quick to stop him from doing so. He rolled his eyes as he held onto her hands instead. "I'm fine, wench. Stop worrying."

"You always say that," the young woman grumbled as she trained her eyes on their clasped hands.

A bittersweet smile surfaced on the half-demon's face at her surliness. It was pathetic how he missed even the worst things about his miko. Everything that had infuriated him in the past — her anger, the way her face fell when she was upset, all those times that she had subdued him… Now, there was nothing about her that didn't bring joy to his heart. Now, he would die to hear her say that dreaded word again.

Avoiding eye contact, Kagome took her hands out of his grasp. As the hanyou watched, clueless to what she was up to, she fumbled with her shirt, taking out a much too familiar item from her bosom. Holding the set of beads and fangs up in her fingers, she asked, "May I?"

Wordlessly, Inuyasha bent his head down, letting her put the rosary around his neck. She hugged his neck then, holding onto him desperately while being careful not to touch his wound. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "For everything."

Inuyasha sighed as he returned the embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around her slim waist. She was still shaken about running off with his rosary. He couldn't blame her for what she had done, though. It had been his fault that she had felt the need to run away from him. The hanyou nuzzled the soft skin beneath her ear and took a deep breath, savoring his favorite fragrance that was Kagome. "There's nothing to be sorry about," he reassured. "It's all right now. Everything's all right."

The miko shook her head, her face still buried in his silver locks. "No, Inuyasha," she countered vehemently. "Please, stop saying that. Nothing is all right." She sniffled against his hair. He could feel her hands fisting his haori on his back as she tightened her hold on him. "I've ruined _everything_," she whispered after a while. Her voice was low, but the half-demon could clearly hear the tremors of anger and self-loathing in it. "I believed her lies _again_ and let her get her hands on you. I left you _again_. I made so many mistakes; I don't know where to begin apologizing."

Inuyasha froze at her words before pulling away slightly to look her in the eye. Kagome's blue orbs shone with tears threatening to spill down at any moment, and the deep sadness he found there broke his heart. Yet, hope flickered in his widened golden orbs as he asked, "You-you _remember_?"

Her eyes filled with more tears, and Kagome shut them tightly. The droplets of sorrow ran down her cheeks as she nodded mutely.

"Fuck! You remember!" cried out Inuyasha and delved his nose into her hair to calm the butterflies in his chest. Completely disregarding his wound, his arms tightened around her waist. Words of gratitude to all the deities he had cursed for the last ten years were a litany on his lips as he held her close to his heart.

Once the hanyou finally pulled away, a sob tore out of Kagome's chest, only to be silenced by his hot mouth on hers. His lips were unrelenting as they coaxed and tugged and caressed, desperate to convey his longing and stealing her breath away with its intensity. The miko's arms released their death grip on his neck, and she cupped his cheeks with her hands. The familiar warmth of her soft fingers was further proof that she was real, that she was there, back in his arms, and Inuyasha sighed into his kiss in relief, letting her breathe him in greedily.

When they broke apart, both panting for air, the half-demon laid his forehead against his mate's. Kagome's hands rested on his cheeks, lovingly stroking the soft skin with her thumbs, while Inuyasha rediscovered the lines of her face with his fingertips. "You don't know how long I've waited for this," he whispered breathlessly.

Kagome brushed the tip of her nose against his lovingly. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," she whispered before she captured his lips this time. Her kiss was slow and gentle as if she was trying to pour all the affection he had been deprived of over the years into her caresses, and Inuyasha responded in kind. His fingers threaded into her hair, indulging in its silkiness before gliding down to her neck. As he stroked the soft skin he found there and got lost in her unique taste, he never wanted to let go.

In the end, it was Kagome who pulled away. Gold melted into sapphire as she looked deeply into his eyes. She whispered then, and her voice was strong despite its low level. "I'll never leave you like that again. Never. I promise."

That reminded him of the question he had been dying to know the answer to. "How _did_ you leave?" he asked, eager to find out if he had been right in his assumptions and dreading it at the same time.

"I'm not really sure," started Kagome, biting her bottom lip nervously. "I was crying right here, at the base of Goshinboku. Then, there was Keiko…" Her voice trailed off, and her brow furrowed in thought. "…and then, I opened my eyes in the well, in my time. I didn't understand why I was there." The miko shook her head, and her eyes filled with tears as she continued, "I didn't remember anything about you, Inuyasha, or the well and this world. Anything at all... It was as if everything that involved you was wiped out of my head. Like it never happened. I think…" She paused for a moment, and her face hardened before she added, "I think she did something to make me forget and sent me through the well."

"That bitch," Inuyasha growled. He wanted to punch something but couldn't bring himself to release his hold on his mate. Instead, he opted to fisting his hands tight enough to draw blood with his claws. "The old hag said that she cast a spell on you." Then, he remembered what else the old priestess had told him, and he stiffened. "She also said that you must have wanted to forget for the spell to work." The words tore at his heart as they passed his lips just like they had when he had heard them. But, he needed to understand. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, urging her to speak up and trying to hide his pain.

Kagome sighed before pulling back from his arms, but the half-demon didn't let her go far and kept a hold on her forearms. Guilt radiated off of her in waves as the miko spoke with her gaze on her hands. "I was devastated, Inuyasha." She peeked at him from under her eyelashes and bit her lip anxiously before she whispered, "You were having these dreams all the time and you were talking in your sleep…"

That was enough to let Inuyasha know that his suspicions had been right. He let his head fall back against the tree's bark as a groan left his lips, causing her to stop. "I knew it had to do with those damn nightmares," he muttered, hitting his head against the Goshinboku in frustration.

"Nightmares?" Kagome asked in a trembling voice once he stopped abusing his scalp. "They didn't sound like nightmares, and I thought… Why didn't you tell me?"

Opening one eye, Inuyasha looked at her as if she had gone insane. "How could I?" he asked incredulously. "What was I supposed to say? How could I tell you that I had…" He couldn't finish his sentence. The hanyou still couldn't say what had been in those nightmares out loud. It was shameful and hurtful — an unwelcome memory he would do anything to erase from his mind. He shook his head and growled in frustration. "I suffered enough for the both of us. I didn't want you to hurt as well."

Kagome closed her eyes, and a tear dropped from her eyelashes. He caught it with his thumb and sighed tiredly before he asked, "Why didn't _you_ tell me?"

Her lips twisted in a sad smile, and she pinned him with her loaded gaze as she retorted, "Have I ever told you that I hurt?"

Inuyasha gulped in discomfort, remembering all those times he had hurt his miko in the past while she had refused to leave his side despite all his idiocy. "But, it was different this time!" he protested then. "You should have been able to tell me when I hurt you. We were mates, dammit!"

"Yes, it was different. It was worse!" Kagome shot back vehemently, and he flinched seeing the fire that took over her gaze. "My husband was dreaming of the other woman while he slept beside me. I was heartbroken, betrayed, _humiliated_." The hanyou's ears drooped a little more with every last word that crossed the miko's lips. "Don't you see?" she asked in a softer voice. "Saying it out loud would only deepen the pain."

"You had a right to demand an explanation," he insisted, trying to soothe her nerves by stroking her arms.

Kagome was having none of it, though. "What was I supposed to say?" she retorted. The fire in her eyes intensified, and her voice got louder as she continued, "Damn you, Inuyasha! I know what you're doing every damn night in your fucking dreams?"

"Yeah, that could have worked," grumbled Inuyasha, disturbed by the agony he had caused her.

It was as if a damn broke with his sarcasm. Fisting her hands on the collar of his haori, the young woman shook him with all the force she had. "How could you?" she cried out. "After everything we've been through! After everything I've done for you!" Angry tears streaked down her cheeks, yet she continued, "I've given up my life, my family for you! We had children, for God's sake!" Kagome let go of his collar then, hitting his chest with her fists instead. "How could you do this to me? How could you dream of _her_?" The miko's blows weakened, so did her voice until she was merely whispering. "I thought I was the one closest to you. I thought she was finally gone forever."

Inuyasha hugged his wife to his chest forcibly as she broke down in sobs. Seeing Kagome's tears and hearing her desperate cries were almost worse than waiting for her had been, but the half-demon did his best to stay strong and let his beloved spit out the poison. Ignoring the pain in his chest, he gently rocked her back and forth as his fingers combed her hair softly. "She _was_ gone," he reassured her in a whisper. "She still is. Forever." He kissed her temple as her sobs slowly died. "It wasn't me, you know?" the hanyou asked once his miko was calm enough to listen.

"I think I do now," she mumbled against his chest.

"It was always the same dream," stated Inuyasha softly, forcing the words out for her sake. "I would beg her to stop, to let me go, but she wouldn't listen. I was trapped. I couldn't…" He paused when he almost choked on his words and closed his eyes against the onslaught of memories. "I couldn't make her stop," he finished with a trembling voice. Bringing his nose to her temple, he breathed in deeply. Her scent calmed his nerves and cleansed his mind off of the horrible images. "They were nightmares, Kagome," he murmured against her ear.

"You-you went to that hill… to where she died," Kagome choked out. "I followed you."

He sighed. He could remember every single time he went there, burdened with guilt and shame. "To beg for forgiveness," he clarified.

The miko's arms sneaked around his waist, and she squeezed him once to show that she understood. "Keiko," she whispered the hated name. "Now, that I know what she's capable of, I have no doubt that it had been her doing all along."

Inuyasha nodded quietly, knowing all too well what the wicked priestess was capable of.

"I don't understand why she did it, though," Kagome started as she thought out loud. "She used to be so nice. What happened?"

"She thought she was in love with me," the hanyou explained before he snorted in disdain. "Some sick sense of love she has," he grumbled. "The idiot thought you weren't good enough." The miko stiffened in his arms, and he hugged her tighter to reassure the young woman. "I can't get over how easy it was for her to rip us apart," he muttered absently as his hand drew soothing circles on her back.

Kagome was still for a while, and he wondered if she fell asleep until her words broke the silence. "She couldn't have done anything if we had been stronger."

"What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely confused. He pulled away enough to look at her in the eye.

The miko seemed to be struggling to find the best way to explain with her lips pursed and her brow furrowed in concentration. "There were issues unresolved and questions unasked," she started slowly before adding, "At least on my part. I couldn't care less about them when were together, but in the end, they were enough to bring me down with the slightest push."

Her explanation only added to Inuyasha's confusion. He cocked his head to one side as if seeing the world in a new angle would help him understand it better.

Kagome straightened and sat back on her heels. She held on to his hands as she tried to make the hanyou understand. "I was so happy that at times, I couldn't believe that it was real. I sometimes wondered how things would've turned out if Kikyo survived or if Naraku never existed. But, those were just fleeting thoughts inspired by my fear of losing you, fear that one day I would wake up and it would all be a dream. But it wasn't a dream, and I knew better than to linger on your past with Kikyo and ruin my happiness. I truly believed that I was the closest person to you and to your heart. After all, I knew that you shared more of yourself with me than you did with her even before we mated. And later, I believed most of your heart if not all of it belonged to me, to us. But, when you started dreaming of her in our bed, in my arms…"

She paused as a shudder passed her shoulders. Her eyes were trained on their clasped hands as she continued timidly, "I felt like I was robbed of a very significant part of you that belonged to me. When I heard you whisper her name in your sleep, for the first time in so many years, I felt as if I was not good enough." Kagome glanced up at the hanyou's pursed lips before forcing her gaze to meet his. She tightened her hold on him as she finished, "It was a bitter answer to a question I didn't want to ask: You were with me not because you chose me, but because I was the one you were left with."

Inuyasha recoiled as if he had been slapped, but his hands never left hers, needing to keep even the minimal contact no matter what.

Seeing the hurt look in his wide eyes, the miko continued soothingly, "I knew you cared about me, Inuyasha, and I never asked you to choose. Not because I didn't want you to, but because it wouldn't be fair to you. And to be honest, I never knew who you would have chosen."

Her words hurt, but they also urged the half-demon to think. If he had been forced to choose, _who_ would he have chosen? At the time, he wouldn't have been able to choose. But now, things were different. _He_ was different. Inuyasha knew what it was like to lose Kikyo and to live without her. He also knew that Kagome filled the void Kikyo's friendship left in him and so much more. He also knew what it was like to live without Kagome. The three years he had spent after the jewel's destruction had been pure hell, and it had been even worse after she had left under Keiko's manipulation. He had survived, but only because he had had hope. If he were to lose her forever… He closed his eyes to shake that thought away.

"I can't change the past, Kagome," the hanyou said, feeling once again the weight of helplessness on his shoulders. "I can't erase whatever I shared with Kikyo, neither can I change what I felt for her. All I wanted was to keep her safe, to right my wrongs, but you…" He cupped her cheeks then, forcing her to look at him. His eyes bored into hers, desperate to convey his meaning. "I _need_ you with me," he whispered harshly. "Is that so hard to understand?"

The miko closed her eyes against the intensity of his gaze. Inuyasha let go of her face and reclaimed her hands, silently staring at a random point over her head before he grumbled, "I could've avoided this disaster if I had been more open with you."

Kagome nodded once in acknowledgement, her eyes back on their hands. "I'm sorry," she mumbled then. "I should have said something as well. It's just that you were… are… you _are_ my center, Inuyasha." She looked up at him, silently begging him to believe her, and he did. "I've woven my life around you," she continued. "When I saw that that wasn't the case with you, that to you, I wasn't what you were to me…" The miko paused when he started to object and shook her head vehemently. "I know it was a trap, but I didn't know it then. I _couldn't_…" She took in a shuddering breath before she finished in a whisper, "It hurt. It hurt too much."

The hanyou's mouth opened and closed, unable to form words. How could he answer that? She was right. Kagome had given up everything to be with him. Inuyasha had indeed been her center for so long that he couldn't fathom how it would feel to wake up one day and find that everything shifted.

To him, the days after she had left had been the closest to what she had been through. The half-demon could remember his turmoil once he had found out that his mate had left. His world had stopped spinning. He had been frozen in time, lost in the void his family's absence created. At first, he had been angry at her. But soon, his anger changed direction because even then, he had known something had been wrong. Even in his darkest hour, Inuyasha had never thought that in her heart, he was less than what she was to him. That was why he had waited for so long. He had always known she would come back to him. She was wrong about one thing, though.

She _was_ the center of his life.

Before he could tell her that, Kagome let go of his hands. Folding her arms around her stomach, she started rocking back and forth. Her eyes were fixed on the ground as she began mumbling apologies incessantly. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

The miko's behavior frightened Inuyasha. Unsure of what to do, he tried to soothe her by caressing her face tenderly. "Stop apologizing, wench," he ordered softly. "I can't blame you for what happened any more than I blame myself."

The rain started to drizzle as more tears fell down Kagome's cheeks. Hearing him, her gaze snapped up to his. The pain in her bloodshot orbs was a knife to his chest. "No," she gritted between clenched teeth. "It's my fault." When he started to shake his head, she cried out, "The _children_, Inuyasha! They were with _me_!" She was hysterical as she fisted the collar of his haori in her hands and started to shake the surprised hanyou madly. "Where are they now? They are _gone_! _I_ couldn't protect them! They are gone because of _me_!"

The children.

His pups.

'Fuck!' They were the main reason he needed her to remember so badly. Impatient, he grabbed her by the upper arms and jerked her up. "What the hell do you mean?" he growled out, jolting the crazed woman slightly to get her attention. "They weren't with you on the other side?"

"No!" she screamed. She stared at him with the eyes of a frightened gazelle when she whispered, "I saw them. In the shrine, in my time. Then here…" She paused as she looked around as if expecting to find something that wasn't there. "They brought me here."

"Where?" he cried out as he frantically glanced around even though he knew they were alone. "Where the fuck were they?"

"They weren't there at all, Inuyasha," the miko murmured sadly. "Not really."

Agitated by her cryptic explanations, the hanyou hollered, "Dammit, Kagome! You're not making any sense!"

Her bottom lip trembled and twisted uncontrollably as Kagome tried to get the words out. "They looked the same as they did when I left. They were the same age. They had no aura. They weren't real."

Deep down, he knew what she was trying to say, but he wanted to hold onto hope for a few more seconds. "What are you saying?" he asked, scared that she would answer but unable to stop the question anyway. Two tears fell from her eyelashes — one pure droplet for each soul missing from their lives. In a daze, he followed their path down her chin until she cupped his jaw and forced him to meet her gaze.

Sapphire had never resembled gold before, but it did at that moment as she looked at him with the same pain he had suppressed for so long reflected in her eyes. "They were _ghosts_," she whispered, confirming his heart's biggest fear.

Kagome continued to hold onto his face, stroking his cheeks to comfort him, but he was too numb to feel anything. He could see her lips still moving, spilling words he couldn't understand, he couldn't hear. Instead of her hysterical voice, a sinister one echoed in his head. _"Your children, Inuyasha, will never grow to be a monster like you."_ His head started spinning as the meaning of those hateful words sunk in. He didn't want to remember, but he was helpless against Keiko's poison. _"Don't worry, though. They didn't feel any pain."_

He gasped and finally managed to breathe. He could fucking breathe while the ones he cherished with all his heart, the ones he swore to protect with his life could not. Why was he alive when his pups were not?

When feeling returned to him, it started in his chest, slowly taking over every inch of his being. It coiled and spread, crushed and emblazed, and then…

He was burning from the inside.

They finally came then — the tears. The tears he had refused to shed for the last ten years finally broke out of their cage, and he let them. They fell, getting mixed with the rain on his cheeks as the heavens cried with him.

"How did it come to this?" he growled out, digging his claws into the earth. He was pushed back by the force of Kagome's weight as she threw herself into his chest. His arms curled around her waist and held her close. His pain fused with hers as his broken sobs joined her cries. When words failed him, each beat of his heart was a silent plea for her love to cease the fire.

But, the fire was too strong, and he was too damn tired.

He was tired of waiting, tired of losing, tired of hurting, tired of keeping it all in. His arms tightened around her trembling form, and he screamed his agony in a heart-wrenching wail.

No matter how great their sorrow, their sobs gradually faded into silent tears. Still in his embrace, Kagome whispered, "I'm sorry. I failed."

His head shot up from its nest on the crook of her neck, and he glared at her. "_You_ failed?" he asked incredulously. "Stop it, dammit! Don't you see? It's all me! I brought doom to all the people that were closest to me." His hand fisted, and he punched the ground as his anger escalated. "First my parents, then Kikyo, and now my own pups." With each count, another blow of his fist landed on the earth. "Don't you see what a fucking failure I am? My father died protecting me and my mother. I wasn't enough to keep mother alive. I couldn't save Kikyo. And, our pups…" He closed his eyes and hit the tree's bark once with the back of his head. "I was their father; I was supposed to keep them safe or die protecting them like my old man did, but I failed because I couldn't even protect their mother from a fucking human…" His ears drooped with shame as he added, "…and from me." His eyes snapped open, baring golden pools of self-loathing before he looked away in shame. "You would've been better off without me," he muttered sullenly.

The miko's hands came up to coax him to meet her gaze. The determination in her eyes defied his resolve to condemn himself. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this," she gritted between clenched teeth. "If you're so desperate to take the blame, fine then! We failed together!" Steely sapphire melted into warm azure as she whispered, "And, we'll heal together. I will be there for you, Inuyasha. But you have to be there for me as well. I can't… I can't…" Her voice trailed off, unable to form anymore words; but he understood and hugged her fiercely, nodding as he did so.

When he thought the miko was calm enough to listen, Inuyasha asked, "You know I'm going to kill her, right?"

His answer was a single nod against his chest. She sighed before uttering weakly, "Killing her won't bring them back."

"No, it won't," agreed the hanyou. He knew that nothing would bring his pups back now. However, he also knew that he wouldn't find peace as long as Keiko breathed, and the tone of his voice betrayed his resolve.

"But, you have to do it. You need blood for blood," stated Kagome, understanding his need for vengeance all too well. She tightened her hold on him in reassurance as she added, "I won't stop you."

The hanyou buried his nose in her hair and exhaled in relief. "Good."

The wind picked up, chilling the drenched couple and bringing a familiar scent to the hanyou's nose. His ears perked up when they caught the sound of rapid footsteps on the wet ground accompanied by occasional curses.

Inuyasha growled as his momentarily forgotten ire toward the intruder returned. "Fuck," he swore under his breath. His muscles tightened in preparation to fight if necessary while he wiped at his already rain-washed tears for good measure.

Sensing the change in his demeanor, Kagome glanced up at him questioningly. "What is it?" she asked right as someone burst out of the woods. Soaked down to his core and muddy up to his knees, the boy came to a halt in the middle of the clearing. "Shippo?"

The fox demon pushed his dripping bangs off of his forehead and grinned at her. "Hi, Kagome," he greeted her before scratching the back of his now empty neck nervously.

Inuyasha could see that the young demon was hesitating to approach them. Suppressing his growls, he urged the boy closer. "Come here, brat."

The moment Shippo sat down within arms' reach, the hanyou's fist came up to bump the kitsune in the head. "Hey! What was that for?" Shippo cried out at the same time as Kagome chastised, "Inuyasha!"

"For not listening to me, you baka!" bellowed Inuyasha, ignoring his mate's disapproving glare and causing the boy to cower with his fury. "Remember what your idiocy almost caused?" he asked as he nodded toward the miko's bruised neck.

For once, the fox demon was silent as he shamefully looked down from the sight of his handprint on the young woman's skin. "I'm sorry, Kagome," he whispered.

Never one to hold a grudge, especially when her life was threatened, Kagome patted the kitsune's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Shippo. You resisted as much as you could. It was so brave of you to come after me alone. I'm proud of you."

The hanyou snorted in annoyance. She was too compassionate for her own good, especially when it was not directed at him. "I outta beat you to a pulp," he grumbled, glaring at the boy. "You're lucky I feel like shit."

"I thought you felt fine," piped up the miko.

Caught in his lie, Inuyasha opted to change the topic. "How come you're here anyway?" he asked Shippo. "And what happened to your _collar_?"

"Keiko released me," the fox started, stealing an apprehensive glance at the scowling half-demon to gauge his reaction to the hated name. "She sent me after you to relay a message. Miroku and Sango… They were caught when you escaped."

"Fuck!" exclaimed Inuyasha. His outburst, along with Kagome's frightened gasp, interrupted Shippo's explanation.

Not wanting to delay his grim news anymore, the kitsune added hurriedly, "She said you're invited to the execution. They will be waiting for you in the woods a few miles to the west of the castle."

"Kami," whispered the miko as she grasped the front of her husband's haori. Her knuckles turned white as she fisted the wet fabric in fear.

Inuyasha was seething. Sango and Miroku were his friends no matter what mistakes they had made in the past. He couldn't let them die, especially when they were in this predicament because of him, and the wicked priestess knew this.

It was a trap.

He hugged Kagome close, seeking courage in her warmth. He couldn't imagine what Keiko had planned, but it was bound to be twisted. At least, he was going to walk in there knowing that she had a plan.

That was all he could do.

He pulled back to look down at his beloved's beautiful face, rejoicing in the fact that she was back with him, and let it become his strength.

The resolution in his eyes must have alarmed her for she started shaking her head in protest. "No. No, no, no, no!" she cried out.

However, the panic in her voice and the horror in her wide eyes did nothing to change his mind. "Kagome…" he started only to be silenced by her loud objections.

"No! No, dammit, no! They are my friends too, Inuyasha!" screeched the young woman desperately. "You're not leaving without me!"

"No!" hollered the hanyou loud enough to be heard from the village. The thought of the high priestess getting close to his mate for whatever reason was paralyzing. "I won't let you go anywhere near that bitch!" he declared with finality. Struggling to keep his voice down, he tried again, "Look, if you won't wait for me here, then you should go back home where you'll be safe and wait there."

That brought out an even stronger reaction from the miko. "Safe?" she screamed in incredulity. "What does it matter if something happens to you?"

Inuyasha sighed tiredly. "She won't let me die," he reasoned while he stood up with Kagome still in his arms. "She wants me to suffer, and I won't let her use you again." He gently coaxed her to release his haori and held onto her hands as he begged, "Please, just go home."

Azure orbs glistened with fresh tears, but the miko's voice did not waver when she exclaimed, "_You_ are my home!"

"And, _you_ are _my_ home, dammit!" shouted the half-demon, fed up with her stubbornness. "So, excuse me if I want to fucking protect you!"

However, Kagome still refused to listen to him. "No! I'll follow you! I won't leave you again!" She clung to his hands, determined to not let go, before she added in a whisper, "You know I won't. You can't leave me alone in this hell, Inuyasha."

"I'm not leaving you alone," he whispered back as he leaned his forehead on hers. "I'll come back to you. I promise." Bringing her hands to his chest, he held them together over his heart and kissed her softly on the lips.

When he pulled back, he signaled to Shippo over her head. Perhaps for the first time ever, Shippo acted with him against Kagome. Before the miko knew what was happening, the kitsune's arms wrapped around her waist and the hanyou dropped her hands. She screamed and fought, and the fox seemed to be disturbed by the way he was forced to treat her. But, Inuyasha implored him to not let go with his glare, and for once, the boy listened.

Seeing his mate like that was difficult, and his ears drooped against her frantic cries. But, the half demon didn't relent. He slowly stepped back, hoping that distancing himself from her would make it easier to leave.

"Don't you dare let her go anywhere," he warned the young demon gravely. Shippo owed him for not listening to him before. When his request was acknowledged with a curt nod, Inuyasha steeled his nerves and whirled on his heels. He had taken only a few steps when Kagome's screeching halted. And then, it came…

"Osuwari!"

With the unstoppable force around his neck, Inuyasha was, once again, crushed to the earth. Once the spell started to wear off, he raised his head to breathe more comfortably. "When I said I'd die to hear her say it again, I didn't mean it literally, dammit!" he grumbled, spitting dirt from his mouth. Then, he began laughing hysterically as he stood up. "Kami, that felt good. You have no idea how long I've waited to hear that."

He turned to the duo to see them kneeling on the ground. Shippo's hand was covering the miko's mouth snugly, and his unwavering hold trapped her arms at her sides. The half-demon crouched in front of them and kissed her nose gently. "I'm glad to have you back, wench," he mumbled. "Now, _you_ sit."

His pathetic attempt to lighten the mood failed miserably, and Inuyasha flinched at the wide-eyed, incredulous expression on her face. Her tears fell faster if that was even possible. Doing his best to disregard them, he stood up and turned his back to her.

At first, his steps were small. He could still hear Kagome's muffled cries as he hastened his pace until he was running at full speed. With each step, his soul bled more under the pull of the unbreakable thread from her broken heart to his shattered one.

End of Chapter 17


	18. Under the Thunder

**Disclaimer:** I neither own Inuyasha nor make any monetary gains by torturing him.

**Author's Note:** Last week, I flew to the other side of the world again. Reunion with family and friends takes a lot of time, so I am afraid it will take a little more than two weeks to post the next chapter. However, I will do my best to not make you wait long and stick with my plans to finish this story before Fall.

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Special thanks to my lovely betas Ai Kisugi, Hedanicree and MadMistress65.

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'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dreams or memories_

**Chapter 18: Under the Thunder the Flowers Light Up the Earth***

Lightning flashed above the dense forest, illuminating the gloomy sky for a fleeting second. Thunder boomed; the ominous sound drowned out the heavy patter of rain. A strong gust of wind shook the Goshinboku's branches that hovered over the devastated woman.

The rain beat down on her mercilessly, though Kagome took notice of nothing but the lingering vision of her husband in her mind as she stared at the now empty path he had taken. Warm tears got lost in cool droplets before they dripped down her chin.

"That baka," she whispered. Her voice was scratchy after hours of crying.

The kitsune's hold on her arms finally relented, and she collapsed to sit on her heels with the loss of her support. Shippo shuffled to her side, leaning down to see her face. "I'm sorry, Kagome," apologized the boy for the millionth time. "Are you going to be all right?"

The miko's eyes never wavered from the path she expected Inuyasha to return from as she shook her head and folded into herself more. It hadn't mattered how much she had cried or begged the fox to let her go, to take her after her hanyou. The boy had been adamant in his resolution. Kagome had no choice but to wait.

So, wait she would.

The heavens continued to weep with a vengeance; she only blinked as raindrops trickled down her eyelashes. The wind whipped her tiny form, chilling the drenched woman down to her bones; she just wound her arms around her tighter. Thunder castigated her with its resonating boom, but she didn't cower.

She never looked away from the path that took away her love.

An hour passed, or perhaps it was only a minute; the miko couldn't tell. Every second would be an eternity until her beloved returned to her.

_If_ he returned to her…

Her hands turned into fists, digging her blunt nails into her cold skin. She couldn't think like that. She had to believe him when he promised he would come back to her.

Inuyasha would die to keep his promises.

And that was what scared Kagome the most. What if his wound got worse on the way? What if something went wrong and he couldn't defend himself? What if he fell into Keiko's trap and she got her hands on him again? What if he didn't make it in time to save their friends? What if he blamed himself? Anything could happen, and she wouldn't be there for him.

She had to go after him.

If Shippo didn't help her, then perhaps she could convince Kirara. However, she would have to get past the fox demon first. She peeked at the boy from the corner of her eye. He was sitting with his back against one of the nearby trees. He looked exhausted after the long journey he had taken from the castle. Now that he didn't need to restrain her, he seemed to be more relaxed and close to dozing off at any moment. 'If I wait in silence a little longer…'

A soft sting on her neck broke through her thoughts, and her hand reflexively flew up to smack at her skin. She brought it up close to see a flattened flea lying in her palm. "Ouch," the flea grumbled before he popped back to his normal size.

"Myoga?" asked the miko in surprise.

"Why, hello, Lady Kagome! It's great to taste you again so soon! I would have returned sooner, but no bird in its right mind flies in this weather. I had to jump the rest of my way here," Myoga said as he bounced up and down in Kagome's palm. "I see young Shippo's back, too," he continued as he jumped toward the kitsune.

"Don't even think about it," growled Shippo as he stopped the flea with the point of his claw.

"Oh, well." Myoga sighed dejectedly and hopped back up to sit on the miko's knee.

"Shippo came to tell us about Miroku and Sango," explained Kagome. "They were caught and they are going to be…" She paused as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat before she finished with a frightened whisper, "…executed."

"I see," the old flea mumbled glumly. Then, his eyes widened as he appraised the miko's appearance for the first time. "I'm afraid to ask, but where is Lord Inuyasha?"

Kagome opened her mouth to answer, but instead of words, a small whimper crossed her lips. Seeing her state, Shippo piped in, "He went to save them."

The tiny demon huffed in irritation. "I leave for a few hours, and he already left! And, I warned Kirara to not let either of you to leave!" He glanced around quickly before he grumbled, "Where is that useless fur ball anyway?"

Feeling the need to protect the neko against the flea's growing annoyance, the miko explained, "I told her to stay in the house. Inuyasha and I needed to talk in private." When the old demon continued to mutter under his breath, she asked, "What is it, Myoga?"

"Well," started Myoga as he scratched the back of his head with one hand. "Miroku sent me off with his last request when he was cornered in the castle."

"His last request?" gasped Kagome. Even the thought of it was terrifying to the young woman.

The flea nodded grimly. "He asked you to meditate here."

"Meditate?" asked Kagome in confusion as she wondered why her meditation skills would be of interest to the monk at a time like that. "Here?"

"Yes, meditate," Myoga confirmed quickly. "Here, under the Goshinboku."

"I don't understand," the miko started, but the little demon had no patience left.

"He said it was very important," the old retainer insisted before adding for good measure, "It was his last request."

It was obvious that Kagome wasn't going to get any more information out of the flea. With a resigned sigh, she nodded. As the two demons silently watched from a few feet away, the miko sat down under the Goshinboku, facing the ancient tree's large trunk. With her palms up, she placed her hands on her knees and closed her eyes. She took in deep breaths, trying to relax as she exhaled slowly.

It wasn't long before she forgot about the presence of her friends, the booming sound of thunder and the insistent battle of rain against her drenched skin. No matter how much she tried though, she couldn't put a stop to her mind's turmoil. With every breath she took, a new question popped up. Were Sango and Miroku all right? What was Keiko planning? Was Inuyasha's wound healing? Would he be able to fight if he had to? Could he really save their friends alone? How far along was the hanyou in his journey? Could she still catch up to him if she left soon? Why did the monk want her to meditate there?

She opened her eyes with a huff. It was impossible to concentrate. She couldn't clear her mind; the fear of impending doom wouldn't let her. It didn't help that Kagome didn't understand what she was trying to accomplish. But, if Miroku thought it was important, then it had to be important. The miko knew better than to ignore the monk's wisdom.

Deciding to try again, she shook her head and rolled her shoulders. Just as she was about to close her eyes, her gaze fell on a breathtaking sight. To her right, under one of the protruding roots of the God Tree were two little flowers, blooming with all their glory despite the destruction the storm inflicted around them. Protected by the Goshinboku's root over them, they lived and they glowed with beauty.

Kagome smiled for the first time in hours, feeling lighter at the sight before her. If flowers could grow under shadows, then good things could happen in the darkest hours.

She just had to have _faith_.

With renewed determination, the miko closed her eyes. It wasn't so hard to concentrate this time, and when she did, she felt the slightest push against her aura. She focused on that barely noticeable power until she recognized what it was: a barrier.

Kagome gasped in surprise before she jumped to her feet to get closer to the source of the barrier. It hung high on the tree's trunk, above the mark left from the arrow that had pierced Inuyasha's heart long ago. She climbed up to stand on the tree's roots and carefully prodded with her fingers only to find out that the barrier diverted her touch from the area. "A protective barrier," she mumbled absently. "Protecting what?"

"Kagome? What is it?" asked Shippo's concerned voice, but the young woman shushed him immediately.

Closing her eyes once more, the miko attacked the invisible shield with her mind. She pushed and pushed, completely focused on her task, until finally she broke through. Once the barrier was gone, she could sense the presence of another spell. She put her hand on the tree, but what her fingers came upon was not the scratchy surface of the tree's bark. She glided her hand left and right, trying to make sense of it with her touch even as she searched with her mind. It was a rope — an imbued one — wrapped around the tree's trunk.

Kagome knew that spell.

She had been subjected to it before...

...by Kikyo.

When the deceased priestess had tried to take Inuyasha to hell with her, she had hidden Kagome's presence from the hanyou's senses with the same spell. The miko from the future had never been glad to have lived that day until now, but as she stood before this enigma, she felt lucky that she knew how to break it.

Holding onto the rope, she attacked with all the power she could harness. Her aura clashed against the unyielding force of the spell. Sweat broke out on her brow, and she gritted her teeth against the resistance. But, she didn't give up; she only pushed harder. Finally, with one last wave of spiritual energy, she broke through.

What she felt then brought the miko to her knees.

"Kagome!" exclaimed her friends at the same time. Shippo was at her side in an instant with Myoga jumping up and down on his shoulder in fear. The kitsune reached down to help the gasping woman stand up.

Once she was steady on her feet, Kagome pulled away from his grasp. Her eyes were wide with wonder and disbelief, and the sting of tears was back. "That sneaky bitch," she whispered as a huge smile broke on her face. Now that the hiding spell was gone, she could easily feel it just like she had always been able to in the past.

The presence of her children.

She scurried around the Goshinboku, following the rope wrapped around its trunk, until she reached the other side. Then, she started laughing hysterically.

"What is it?" asked Shippo, scared with the miko's crazed behavior.

In reply to the kitsune's question, the young woman cried out in joy, "She didn't kill them!"

"What?" the demons blurted out in unison. Shippo came to stand at her side, and both the kitsune and the flea looked up at where her glistening sapphire orbs were trained. "Kami," whispered Myoga right as Shippo muttered in shock, "Damn."

There, bound to the Goshinboku with a rope wrapped around their little forms were Reika and Raiden, the hanyou and the miko's precious babies, sleeping with two ofudas plastered over their hearts.

"She didn't kill them," choked out Kagome this time, and she collapsed on her knees. Her initial joy quickly gave way to horror when she realized that her babies had been bound to a tree for almost ten years. Her hand covered her mouth to suppress the sobs that threatened to take over as tears spilled down her eyelashes.

"What did she do to them?" Shippo asked as he gazed at the peaceful faces of the spellbound children. They hadn't grown an inch since the last time they had been running around the village. The chubbiness of their cheeks was not gone despite having been without food for years. Apart from the unnatural sleep that claimed their souls, they looked completely healthy.

"It must be a seal similar to the one Kikyo used on Lord Inuyasha," muttered Myoga.

Still stupefied with their finding, the kitsune questioned absently, "How come they didn't age?"

"Because they have been bound to the Goshinboku," explained Kagome in a barely audible voice as she looked at the twins with a strange combination of terror and wonder in her blurry eyes. "Like their father. Inuyasha didn't age, either." She blinked to clear her vision from tears, sending two more droplets down her cheeks. Now that the barrier was gone, the kids were exposed to the elements. Long, silver strands flew in the wind. Rain pelted down their little forms, but they didn't even flinch. Not even one tiny doggie ear moved.

They were so lifeless.

The miko jumped to her feet. In the blink of an eye, she had climbed the roots and was tugging at the ropes with all her might. She cried out in frustration when the binds didn't let go. Shippo was quick to come to her aid, cutting the offending ropes with his claws. And then…

Her babies were back in her arms.

"I've got you," the relieved mother whispered before she turned and glided down the tree's trunk to sit with her back against it. "I've got you now. I'll never let you go again." She murmured endless apologies and promises to their unhearing ears while her hands caressed their silky hair. "I swear I'll never let you go." Each breath felt like her first after almost drowning as she greedily took in their scents. She placed soft kisses on their temples reverently, all the while praying to every deity she knew in gratitude.

"Lady Kagome, perhaps we should see if you can wake them up?" suggested the old retainer from his perch on the teary-eyed kitsune's shoulder when the miko quieted.

Kagome was reluctant to release her hold on the kids, but she had to break the seal to have them back for real. For that, she needed at least one free hand. She gave the flea a curt nod before she carefully laid the pups on the ground between her legs. "Mama's with you now," she mumbled as she swept Reika's bangs off of her forehead lovingly and tenderly stroked Raiden's ear. "Mama will protect you. You will always laugh and be happy and you will always…" She paused as she took a hold of both ofudas and willed with all her being before she cried out, "…live!" With that, she pulled on the seals, detaching them both at once.

The once imbued papers turned into dust in her hands as furry ears twitched and dark eyelashes fluttered gently. Raiden was the first to open his eyes. His golden orbs were hazy with sleep. "Mama?" he asked dazedly.

"Mama, is that you?" came Reika's sweet voice as the little girl looked up with half-lidded eyes.

"Yes, baby," choked out the miko, caressing the kids' ears soothingly and trying hard to keep her tears at bay.

Kagome was pushed back slightly with the force of her son's weight when Raiden jumped to her arms in a flash of silver and red and with a cry of, "Mama!"

She embraced him tightly with one arm and extended her free hand to her daughter. "Come here, baby."

As Raiden buried his face into his mother's neck and clung to her wet shirt with his little claws, Reika crawled to her lap and started crying. Alarmed by the kid's tears, Kagome asked, "Baby, are you hurt?" She stroked her precious girl's back soothingly as her panic rose. "What's wrong? Where do you hurt?" However, the girl shook her head and pressed closer to her mother's chest. "Rei," pleaded Kagome helplessly. "Why are you crying?"

When his sister only whimpered in reply, Raiden touched her shoulder with his tiny fingers. "Don't cwy, Wei," he whispered. "See? Mama came back." He then looked up at his mother with frightened orbs. "You falled to the well!" he exclaimed as he flailed his arms and made a show of falling back, but Kagome's arm on his waist kept him safe. "Then, you wewen't in thewe! Bad well ate you!" he cried out before he snapped his jaw and roared, showing his tiny fangs in a rather amusing imitation of a lion.

As Shippo and Myoga chuckled at the boy's antics, Reika sniffled and looked up with tears on her chubby cheeks and snot running down her button nose. "Keiko said you weren't coming back," she whispered, tightening her grip on the miko's shirt.

Kagome gritted her teeth to keep in the expletive that threatened to escape her lips against the priestess' cruelty. Sensing her anger, Raiden's ears drooped with guilt and he asked, "Awe you mad, Mama?"

The young woman's face softened immediately. "Why would I be mad, baby? You didn't do anything wrong."

"But, we went to the well," the boy explained before he looked down at his hand, rolling a lock of his mother's wet hair between his fingers. "You told us not to go thewe."

The miko smiled sadly. She had prohibited the children to play near the well, telling them that they would get hurt if they fell. In fact, she had been more scared that the well would take them away and she couldn't follow. "No, honey," she reassured. "I'm not mad."

Raiden peered into his mom's blurry orbs as if in question. His eyes widened as he traced his mother's face with his fingers. He was trying hard to keep his tears from spilling; Kagome could tell from the glistening of his golden orbs and the way his lips trembled as he asked, "Why did you go, Mama?"

The miko gazed into the golden eyes of the son she thought she would never see again, and the sadness she found in them broke her abused heart. They thought she had left them when she had fallen into the well and disappeared. She couldn't fathom how that had scared her precious babies. She took their hands tenderly into her own and brought them to her lips to place gentle kisses before pressing them to her heart.

"Kami, I never wanted to leave you, babies. I never wanted to go. Keiko, she…" Her words trailed off as tears broke through her resistance and cascaded down her cheeks. Trying hard to keep in her sobs, she hugged her two children.

"She's bad, Mama," mumbled Reika into her mother's chest. "She was mean to us."

"She was!" interjected her brother and raised his head to look at the miko with frightened eyes. "She yelled at us. Made me go into a bad sleep."

"Oh, Baby," murmured Kagome and cupped Raiden's face with her hand. "No more bad sleep for you. Mama and Papa will protect you."

The boy nodded as tiny tears started to form at the edges of his eyes. He wiped them away with the sleeve of his red hakama before they could fall. Like his father, he tried not to show emotion if he could help it.

Reika sighed against her mother's bosom. "Mama?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes, baby?"

"I had a dream about you."

Raiden looked at his sister in astonishment. "I saw Mama and Papa in my dream, too!"

"She had a pretty dress in my dream," boasted Reika. All the sleepiness left her features as her ears perked up and her eyebrows rose in challenge. "Did she have one in yours?"

"Dunno," muttered Raiden disinterestedly. "Papa was playing hurt again. We had to get…"

The boy's explanation was cut short when Reika completed his sentence in excitement, "…had to get Mama to help Papa!"

After sending the girl an amusing glare that was meant to be scary, Raiden turned to his mother with an irritated huff. "The old man told us to take you to the well."

"His name is Grandpa!" chastised Reika as her brother shrugged stubbornly.

Shocked to hear the familiar title from her children, Kagome gasped before she repeated in disbelief, "Grandpa?"

Reika nodded excitedly. "He played with us all the time! He has big huts and lots of pretty beads!"

"He didn't let me play with his swords," grumbled Raiden, pouting and folding his arms on his chest in a perfect imitation of his father.

"Kami," whispered Kagome as she glanced at Shippo, who was kneeling in front of her with Myoga on his shoulder. "That's my Grandpa," she said with wide eyes. "He knew!"

She looked back to the kids when Raiden pulled on the collar of her shirt to get her attention. "Did you help Papa?"

Kagome smiled wistfully as she looked lovingly at her two babies. They had always been scared when their father had gotten hurt, and having Inuyasha as a father meant seeing him wounded every once in a while. To spare their kids the fright, the couple had taken to telling them it was a game they played. It hadn't been hard to pretend since Inuyasha always denied his pain no matter how bad it was. "Yes," she said as she stroked their backs tenderly. "I helped Papa. He's all better now."

Reika bit her lip. "Mama, why was Keiko so mean to us?" she asked, bringing the conversation back to the wicked priestess.

"She huwt us!" piped in Raiden.

Kagome shook her head adamantly. "She won't do it again, babies. Your father is very angry that she hurt you. He's going to make her stop."

"I don't want to sleep at her house anymore," mumbled her son as he gave his mother the puppy eyes he knew she couldn't resist.

The miko clenched her jaw, remembering all the times she had willingly taken her children into the lion's den whenever she had been upset with her mate. She still couldn't believe how blind she had been. "No," she said. Her voice was hard with self-reproach. "You won't go to her house anymore."

"I'll kick her if she comes to us," declared Raiden as he jumped off of her lap. "Like Papa teached me. See?" He kicked the air, bringing his bare foot up until it was level with his waist and losing his balance in the mean time. He fell back to his mother's lap with a giggle on his lips.

Unable to resist her little hanyou's antics, Kagome chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Sweetheart. You won't see her again."

"Mama?" asked Reika, absently combing the lock of hair that fell over Kagome's shoulder with her tiny fingers. "Where's Papa? Is he okay?"

Kagome looked at her daughter's wide eyes and her son's twitching ears as they waited for her reply. She knew she would be lying if she told them there was nothing to worry. However, she didn't have a choice but to reassure her children. "Papa's fine, Baby," she said with a sigh. "We'll go to him soon."

It wouldn't be soon enough for her tastes when they could go to her stupidly stubborn but dearly loved hanyou, though. Once the initial surprise and giddiness of finding her kids started to wear off, more pressing matters took precedence in the miko's mind. She tried to send Shippo after Inuyasha to let the hanyou know that his pups were alive and well so that he would perhaps think twice before endangering his life. However, the kitsune adamantly refused to leave her side, saying that now the pups were with her as well, Inuyasha would kill him if something happened to them in his absence. She found that begging Myoga to help her would be of no use either when the flea kindly reminded her that no bird or cat demon could fly in the storm. As a result, Kagome had to accept defeat and wait until the storm subsided.

On their way to the house, the pups asked why Shippo was much bigger all of a sudden. The miko didn't know how to explain how long they had been asleep; neither did she want to let them know exactly how bad the 'bad sleep' they had been forced into was. Instead, she told them that the fox demon had eaten all his meals without complaint while they had been sleeping.

"See?" Reika goaded her brother from her mother's arms. "You didn't eat your carrots before you went to sleep. Now you can't catch Shippo, you sleepyhead!"

"I'm not a sleepyhead!" countered Raiden from his perch on the kitsune's shoulders, causing the adults to chuckle and shake their heads.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

The kids' bantering did not stop until they reached the house. Once they saw Kirara though, they immediately forgot about their verbal battle and teamed up to catch the neko's tail as if they hadn't been arguing for the last fifteen minutes.

Kagome was stirring the broth she made and watching the children play with the full demons when she heard voices outside rise above the constant patter of rain. The door opened, revealing a completely drenched Kohaku and his nephew and two nieces.

The miko's happiness over seeing Sango's younger brother and children for the first time after so many years was soon replaced with apprehension as she pondered how to tell them that the slayer and the monk's lives were at stake because of her and her husband. She was relieved to learn that they already knew. It turned out that Myoga had found the group during the night and relayed the bad news, advising them to stay out of sight for their safety.

However, neither Kohaku nor his sister's offspring had any intention of staying back. Despite the miko's and the old retainer's objections, they were adamant to go after Inuyasha and assist him in any way they could. In the end, it was decided that they would leave all together once the weather permitted.

Sleep claimed every single soul in the house but Kagome once everyone was sufficiently dry and all bellies were filled with warm broth. For hours, she watched her children sleep as the bliss she felt over having her babies back warred with her fear for her mate. Finally, she dozed off listening to the even breathing of the two little half-demons tucked at her sides. The last thing she remembered before her eyes closed was taking Raiden's thumb out of his mouth.

With dawn came the rays of sunlight, chasing away the clouds and giving the miko hope. After a hearty breakfast, the large group left the village. Kohaku rode Kirara with his nephew and nieces while Kagome safely nestled on Shippo, who transformed into a huge balloon and held onto the neko's tail. The miko kept her children in her arms while Myoga amused the kids with his exciting stories, exaggerated facial expressions and four flailing arms.

As they flew over forests, farms and villages, the young woman's gaze was fixed on the horizon and her heart was fluttering in anticipation. Today, she was going to get her whole family back.

End of Chapter 18

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***Raiden: Thunder and lightning, Reika: Lovely flower***

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_***All reviews are deeply appreciated; they are the little flowers that bloom in the dark, giving the author the courage to continue writing.***_

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*The title of this chapter belongs to D.G. Jones.

**Thanks to Ai Kisugi for her help with the pups' speech.


	19. The Monster's Day

**Disclaimer:** I neither own Inuyasha nor make any monetary gains by torturing him.

**Author's Note:** Thanks to inuyashaloverr for nominating this fic for Best Inuyasha/Kagome Romance Fiction in FA. I am deeply touched and flattered to see that she found the little bit of romance in this story worthy of recognition. Unfortunately (and contrary to some of my precious reviewers' hopes), there's nothing romantic in this chapter. Well… almost. Heed the warning!

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Special thanks to my lovely betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree.

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**Warning: Lots of blood and violence.**

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dreams or memories_

**Chapter 19: The Monster's Day**

Reddish flames attacked and dodged, fighting against the chill of the dark cave. The hanyou sat cross-legged in front of the small fire, mindlessly stroking the sleeves of his slightly damp haori for warmth. His ears stood erect to catch even the smallest sound in case someone tried to sneak up on him — a habit ingrained into his core after a lifetime of fighting. But, his eyes… his eyes stared blankly at the fire; his mind was somewhere else.

It was somewhere darker than the tomb of a cave in which he had found shelter from the rain; somewhere he couldn't escape the onslaught of tears as they fell upon his heart from desperate sapphire orbs like a string of pearls.

He had run until he couldn't feel his legs, but no matter how far he had traveled, the pull on his heart didn't lessen. In his mind's eye, Kagome continued to cry, begging him to not leave without her. And, he… He wanted to comply. He wanted to go back and take her with him. Her place was by his side. Without her, he was only half the man he could be. She was his strength; she always had been.

But, not this time.

In this place where he had already lost too much to bear alone, even the thought of seeing her hurt was enough to bring Inuyasha to his knees. This time, Kagome was his greatest weakness.

The crackling of the burning wood drowned out the soft sound of his even breathing, ringing in his ears like the desperate cries of his soul. The hanyou ignored both. He had learned long ago that if one had too much to mourn for, the only way to keep sane was to hold on to what you had left. Once, it had been his anger and his hopes that had kept him going. Now…

Now, there was no hope left. Only her…

And, the unrelenting need for vengeance.

Outside, dawn broke slowly. Weak streaks of sunlight illuminated the narrow entrance of the cave. The rain had stopped a while ago, but Inuyasha had been too tired and too cold to continue his journey to what was sure to be a trap to bring him down.

He fisted the dry fabric of his haori in determination before he abruptly stood up. Extinguishing the fire with his foot, he adjusted the Tetsusaiga on his waist. He had been in such a hurry to leave before Kagome managed to stop him, he hadn't even thought about his sword. He was lucky that he still had it on his person. He could remember that they had taken it from him when he had been captured.

"Kagome," he murmured with longing as he fingered the battered hilt of his sword, knowing that she must have put it back where it belonged while he had been unconscious. She had always been thoughtful, had always taken care of him. The hanyou swallowed against the lump in his throat before he whispered, "I'll keep my promise. I'll come back to you."

His eyes hardened as he looked up at the bright sky from the cave's entrance. He was going to return to her side and never leave again. But first, he had to deal with Keiko. Golden orbs narrowed and strong muscles oozing demonic power tightened before the hanyou took off in a blur of silver and crimson.

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The sound of leaves fluttering in the wind reached her ears as Sango slowly became aware of her surroundings. She took in a deep breath, savoring the fresh air she had been deprived of for the last few days. She certainly was not in the dungeons anymore. The last thing she could remember was being in the dark cell with Miroku when the soldiers had barged in and tried to drag the couple out. Naturally, the slayer had resisted.

She clenched her eyes shut against the sunlight and lifted her head up. She groaned in pain when her head throbbed where it had been hit by something hard — most likely the hilt of someone's sword. She tried to raise her arm and hissed as pain shot through her arm from her wrist. She peeked over her shoulder and was surprised when she was met with a familiar sight. As if to mock her by using her precious weapon against her, they had bound Sango to the Hiraikotsu, which was buried to the ground on its one end.

She writhed and tugged at her wrists despite the pain her struggles caused her. She remembered the small knife she had hidden in her sleeve. Her fingers reached for the edge of her sleeve and probed. She smiled in relief when the tip of her fingers came in contact with hard metal. In no time, she had the knife in her hands. She twisted her hand to bring the knife's cutting edge to the rope and hissed as the movement caused the rope to cut her wrists deeper. "Damn you, Keiko," grumbled the slayer as she proceeded to cut her binds.

"You finally joined us!" exclaimed a familiar voice, surprising the young woman and stilling her attempts to break free. "Good. I was getting bored of waiting."

Her head shot up, and Sango gasped as she saw the executioner standing a few feet away from her. "Tadashi? What the…?" Her voice trailed off when her gaze landed on her husband.

In front of the headsman, Miroku stood on his knees facing her. He was gagged with a piece of cloth, and his hands were bound behind his back. His hair was disheveled, so were his clothes. His brow was split open and a large bruise marred his swollen eye. Blood oozed from his nose and his mouth, painting his gag an angry red.

"Miroku," whispered Sango in fear. At the sight of her husband, panic settled in and dread filled her heart. "What is going on here?" she asked as she hurried to cut the rope that kept her writs together. "Why are we here?"

"For this," declared Tadashi and stepped forward. Standing behind Miroku, he pulled the monk's head up by his hair. A flash of light caught her eye and stilled her efforts to free her hands. Before Sango could blink, the sword in the executioner's hand cut through her husband's throat.

Her heart skipped a beat.

As she watched with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what happened, blood gushed out of the deep cut on the monk's throat and flowed down his chest like a crimson river. His life's essence left his body as fast as the light left his beautiful eyes.

Tadashi stabbed his bloody sword to the ground and released his grip on Miroku's hair. A strangled cry escaped Sango's lips as her husband's lifeless form fell down. The executioner smirked at Sango. "Told you he was going to be first," he mumbled. "Now cry, traitor. Indulge in your beloved's death. I'll be back for you once you've had enough."

All senses left the slayer as disbelief gave way to comprehension. She didn't know how she broke free of her bonds, or how she ran to her fallen husband's side. All she could feel was his dead weight in her arms, and all she could see was the color of blood.

"No," she whimpered as she stroked Miroku's cheek, trying to coax him to look at her, but it was already too late. "No, Miroku. No…" Tears dripped down her chin to join the crimson liquid that marred his handsome face. She clenched her eyes shut, unable to bear the dull blue of his eyes.

"Tadashi, you monster!" she shouted. "I swear I'll kill you!" When she looked up, the executioner was nowhere to be seen. An anguished cry broke out of her chest as the fearless slayer hugged her husband's broken body helplessly.

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Among the trees behind the distraught slayer, Keiko watched as the fruits of her careful manipulation grew slowly. She was surrounded by her guards that helped her set up her trap.

When the guard that had confronted Sango came to stand before the priestess and bowed in respect, Keiko beckoned him to stand straight before she nodded in approval. "You did well, soldier. I'm pleased." She turned to the rest of the guards and raised her hand to the one that carried her intricate bow and arrows. Once she had her exquisite weapon in her hands, she addressed all of the soldiers. "You can go back to the castle now. I won't need you anymore."

"But, my lady…" started a young guard in objection, but he was silenced by the priestess's stern voice.

"You heard me," said Keiko with authority. "Your presence will only distract me and endanger my plans. I may not be able to protect all of you."

The soldiers looked confused as they glanced at each other and then at the prisoner bound to the tree next to the high priestess. Deciding that he was harmless, they nodded curtly. "As you wish, my lady," said the highest ranking one before all of the guards retreated into the forest.

Beside Keiko, Miroku watched aghast as his wife cried her heart out in the distance, calling his name between sobs and hugging a piece of wood to her chest as if it was her baby. "Sango!" he yelled again, but she didn't hear him. He fought against the strain of the thick rope that kept him in place. "Damn," he cursed when his restraints did not budge. "Sango!" he tried again, hoping that his voice would somehow pass through whatever spell Keiko put on his wife and reach her ears.

When his efforts went unnoticed by the slayer, he turned to Keiko, shooting daggers out of his eyes. "What's wrong with Sango?" he demanded furiously. "What did you do to her?"

The priestess shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing serious. Just a simple illusion."

"An illusion?" The monk glanced at his crying wife in perplexity. "Is that why she called that soldier Tadashi? Was he who she saw?"

Keiko nodded excitedly, causing her veil to flutter with the motion. "Anyone that enters that barrier is Tadashi in her eyes," she explained with a little bit of smugness in her voice. "Brilliant, isn't it?"

"A barrier…" mumbled Miroku in understanding. "That's why she can't hear me, isn't it? Why are you doing this and why Tadashi? What are you planning, Keiko?"

"U-uh," said the priestess as she shook her head slowly. "I've already told you enough. No more questions, Monk." When Miroku opened his mouth to object, she added with finality, "Patience, my friend. You'll find out soon."

The monk grumbled under his breath at her use of the word 'friend.' Ignoring him, Keiko sat on her knees, laid her weapon on the ground next to her and started praying.

Miroku eyed the exquisite bow embroidered with delicate designs. So unlike the simple bows every other priestess used, that piece of wood alone was a sign of Keiko's unhealthy obsession with greatness, a sign of her passionate nature that was unbecoming of a priestess.

He dismissed the weapon, angry with himself for having missed these little signs. His gaze returned to his wife and he wished that she would miraculously sense his presence and fight against the spell Keiko had put on her. He struggled against his binds, desperately trying to get his hands on the ropes. However, the ropes held tight, keeping his arms glued to his sides. After minutes of struggling, his only accomplishment was earning several scratches on his back as he writhed against the tree's rough bark.

He finally stopped when he sensed the appearance of a new barrier; this one was around him and Keiko. The priestess successfully concealed them from the rest of the world. There was no way he could reach Sango now, and fighting against his binds was fruitless. Accepting defeat, he asked tiredly, "Why?"

Keiko sighed in irritation before she stood up slowly. "Why, why, why… So many questions. What is it this time?"

"Why all this hatred?" the monk clarified. "What happened to you?"

"That is simple," said the priestess as she rested her bow and sack of arrows against the nearest tree. She faced the clearing and the huddled slayer before she continued, "I can see the evil surrounding us while you, unfortunately, cannot."

"Evil?" cried out Miroku, unable to keep in his fury. He didn't even stop to breathe as he finally threw his accusations to her face. "Evil is separating a devoted couple with twisted games! Evil is stealing their kids from them! Evil is sealing two innocent children to a tree for years!"

At that, Keiko's head turned sharply to look at him, betraying her surprise. His eyes widened in understanding, and the monk gasped in horror. "I'm right, aren't I?" he whispered. He fisted his hands at his sides before he yelled, "You did seal them! Kami, how could you?"

"I…" started Keiko but stopped when her voice wavered and cleared her throat. When she continued, she sounded uncharacteristically timid, reminding Miroku the young priestess in training he had known years ago. "I didn't plan to keep the children there for long. I was going to release them once he finally saw that…"

Thrown off by the change in her, the monk cocked his head to the side in curiosity. "Saw what?"

"That Kagome wasn't right for him." A bitter chuckle rose behind the white veil as Keiko shook her head in self-reproach. "I didn't realize what a monster he was then. I ended up doing Kagome a favor by saving her from him while I thought I was doing it for him. But, that stupid woman doesn't know what's good for her."

"I don't understand," uttered Miroku, confused by her revelation. "Why would you think that she wasn't right for him?" He knew too well that the miko from the future was the best thing that had ever happened to the hanyou. He had been one of the few witnesses to what he had been through with and without her. It infuriated him that this woman claimed the right to think otherwise. Even if he hadn't been by Inuyasha's side for years, he knew one thing about the hanyou for certain and he shouted it to Keiko's face. "He loved her with all his heart!"

"But, she wasn't good enough!" came the priestess' screeching reply. "She didn't love him as much as I did!"

Miroku looked at her in stunned silence for a few moments. His mind reeled with the information Keiko, without a doubt, unwillingly revealed. He couldn't believe his ears. How could he have missed something as profound as a young woman's love? How could a priestess let such feelings develop for a married man? Thinking back, he could recall a younger Keiko, excited to start working for the great priestess Kikyo's village. She had looked up to Kagome and regarded Inuyasha with wonder; those two had been living legends in her eyes. It was highly possible that her adoration had turned to infatuation without their notice. He could understand that. But, how could anyone commit such horrible actions against someone they supposedly cherished?

His brows furrowed and his nose crinkled, disturbed by her forbidden obsession and disgusted by the twisted creature she had turned into right under his nose. "Love?" he spat out before he snorted in disdain. "You're delusional. You can't love anyone but yourself."

"On the contrary," objected Keiko with her head held high and her shoulders straight. "I love everything and everyone that's pure and innocent."

"Why didn't you release the children then?" shot back Miroku with his eyebrow raised in challenge. "They were innocent!"

Ignoring the hostility in his voice, the priestess nodded in agreement. "They sure were. But, they carry the same evil in their blood as their father. If I released them, one day they would turn into monsters just like him. This way, they will stay as they are; they will always be innocent." She dismissed the monk's appalled expression and turned her back to him to appraise the clearing. "Besides," she added after a few moments. Her voice was cold with the rise of her decade old anger. "Releasing them would be giving the hanyou the greatest gift he could ever hope for. Why would I do that after what that monster did to me?"

"Don't you dare call him that," hissed Miroku between gritted teeth as his glare burned into the back of her veil-covered head. "What did you expect?" he spat with venom. "You took his family away. He didn't need to have demonic blood to react like he did. I would have killed you if it were my family. You're the monster that you accuse him to be!"

Keiko looked at him over her shoulder. Silence stretched as she appraised him, his clenched fists, heavy breathing and scowling face. "Think whatever you want, Monk," she finally uttered. "Soon, you'll be gone from this world, and all your thoughts will be forgotten along with your name. But, I…" Her voice trailed off as she turned away from him. "When this war is over, I will forever be remembered as the priestess that saved the world from the evil of demons."

Miroku snorted at her ridiculous ambitions. "You're insane."

The high priestess chuckled in amusement. "Insane? I may not have always made the best decisions, but do not forget what I am fighting for. Even if you do not agree with me, I will not give up on my dream to create a safer future for your offspring."

A safe future…

As Miroku watched his beloved wife's sorrow with a heavy heart, that thought kept popping up in his mind. Was that what Kagome's world was like? Miroku knew that, apart from a few minor exceptions, Kagome's world was free of demons. Inuyasha used to call it 'safer.' But where had the demons gone? Was this war the reason for the lack of demons in the future? If so, did it mean that no matter how hard the demons fought back, they were going to lose? Were his friends going to survive, or against Miroku's struggles, were they going to be extinct in the end?

* * *

The world was an endless sea of greens and browns on his sides as Inuyasha raced with demonic speed among the trees. He had passed by the castle a while ago, following a wide arch around the monstrous structure that housed humans and the barrier that surrounded it. He had been traveling through the forest that lay to the west of the castle, hoping to catch a familiar scent that would lead him to his friends and his enemy. He had drawn several circles in the area before he found a faint trail that carried the three distinct scents he had been looking for.

He stopped and crouched down on his hands and knees to sniff the ground once more. His nose crinkled, and his upper lip raised to reveal his fangs as an involuntary growl rose in his chest at the hated fragrance that filled his nostrils along with the others. He was on the right path.

He stood up, hissing at the sting of the wound in his abdomen. Just like he had done for hours, the hanyou ignored it along with the protests of his tired muscles and bolted in a spring. The sooner he killed that bitch and rescued his friends, the sooner he could go back to his mate.

As he jumped from tree to tree, he noticed that only one scent was getting stronger. It didn't make sense, which only meant that a trap was most likely waiting for him. Remembering that he promised Kagome to return to her in one piece, he dropped to the ground. His hand grasped the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at any moment as he moved forward with caution.

Soon, the mass of trees gave way to a large clearing. The first thing Inuyasha noticed was the Hiraikotsu, standing across the clearing like a grave stone with its one end buried to the ground. Next, his gaze landed on the huddled form of its owner. Sango was hugging what looked like a large piece of wood as she sat a few feet away from the giant weapon.

His eyes narrowed as he scanned the scene carefully, but nothing seemed out of place — except for the sight of the slayer and the lingering stench of other humans, including _her_. He suppressed the growl that built up in his chest and stepped forward. Expecting someone to jump out of nowhere, he tightened his grip on the Tetsusaiga. His ears rotated left and right, trying to catch even the smallest sound as he moved farther into the clearing.

That was when he noticed it. One second, he could hear the chirping of a bird's wings as it flew high over his head and in the next instant, it stopped abruptly. His brows furrowed in concentration, and he took a step back only to find out that he was pushed into the clearing by an unseen force. He whipped around and raised his free hand. He probed the air cautiously at first, and then pushed with all his might to no avail. He was surrounded by a barrier — one that let him in but didn't let him out. Despite being careful, he had walked right into Keiko's trap.

"That bitch," he grumbled agitatedly. He knew that he was in trouble but he also knew that if he played along, Keiko would eventually show her face. And, that was enough for Inuyasha. All he needed was a chance to get his claws in close proximity to her blackened heart.

The sound of a choked sob brought his attention back to the slayer, and he turned to regard her carefully. She was still sitting on the ground, oblivious to his presence. Her slim frame rocked back and forth, and her strong arms cradled a large piece of wood. Occasional whimpers escaped her lips between words the hanyou couldn't pick up in spite of his superior hearing.

Disturbed by the scene, Inuyasha tentatively approached the slayer. His ears stood erect once he was close enough to decipher her delirious mumblings. "Oh, God…" she whispered. "It's so red… so red… Please, no…"

"Sango?" he called softly, finally taking her attention away from the annoying log. She was still talking about something being red when her head snapped up. The only red Inuyasha saw in this scene, apart from his clothes, was in the slayer's bloodshot eyes as she looked up at him with hatred.

"You've returned," she spat with hostility, causing him to take a step back by the force of her glare.

"Of course," said the confused hanyou before his brows furrowed and he huffed in annoyance, offended by her attitude. "What did you expect, you idiot? I returned for you."

With unusual care, Sango laid down the log she had been holding. "So, you did," she said as she stood up slowly. "But, I have bad news for you, you monster." Never breaking his gaze, she grabbed the sword that was half-buried to the ground next to her. "I won't be an easy prey!"

Her words made no sense to Inuyasha, and the distraction they caused almost cost him his life when Sango suddenly lunged at him. He jumped back at the last moment and escaped the sharp tip of her sword by a mere inch.

His hand went to his throat reflexively, checking for blood. "What the fuck?" he cried out in perplexity as he saw Sango running at him again. She thrust her weapon with both hands, targeting his stomach. With the help of his demonic speed, Inuyasha managed to dodge her strike by turning to the side on his heels. But, the slayer lost no time to swipe the sword around in a wide arch, forcing him to jump away from her once again.

"Run as much as you can, Tadashi," she said to the flabbergasted hanyou as she took her stance, getting ready for her next move. "I won't stop until you're a bloody mess at my feet!"

While Inuyasha tried to comprehend her words and finally realized that she did not see him for who he really was, Sango took five long and fast strides and leaped high into the air. Her sword faced downward as she raised her arm, aiming for his jugular.

In his surprise, the hanyou had no time to gather enough strength to jump away and opted to throw his body sideways to the ground. "Snap out of it, Sango!" he yelled, rolling away to put as much distance as he could between his already tired body and the deadly weapon that pierced the earth instead of his throat. "I'm not Tadashi or whoever the fuck you think I am!"

"I'll tell you what I think!" shot back the slayer, digging her sword out of the ground with one mighty pull. She wasted no time to attack the hanyou, who was on his feet once more and held his still shielded Tetsusaiga in his hand. "Now that you're up against someone that you can't murder without effort…," she started before she grunted with the force of Inuyasha's push as he deflected her strike with his sword. She whirled around and faced him again. "…you're not above lying!" she finished, bending her knees and gripping her weapon with both hands. "But, your pathetic attempts won't save you!"

When she lunged at him again, Inuyasha dodged and grabbed her by the arm that held her sword. While he was focused on disarming her, the slayer turned sharply and elbowed him in the stomach — hard. With a hiss, the hanyou doubled over in pain and pushed her away.

As Sango staggered a few steps back and took her stance, Inuyasha felt something warm on his abdomen. "Shit!" he cursed when he saw and smelt the blood on his shirt. His wound had reopened. Knowing that he couldn't stand against her assault for long, he tried to reason with her again. "Keiko's fucking with your head, Sango!"

Paying the half-demon no mind, the slayer attacked once more, forcing him to parry her strike with the Tetsusaiga. Her sword pressed against his shielded one, bringing the two opponents close. Golden orbs glared at furious brown ones as he gritted out, "Look at me, dammit! I'm Inuyasha!"

Snorting at his words, Sango attempted to knee him in the groin. The hanyou growled in frustration and pushed hard with his Tetsusaiga, causing her to jump back instead.

"I know what I see!" she shouted once she was steady on her feet. Her knuckles turned white as she tightened her hold on the hilt of her sword and mumbled, "I know what I saw." Her eyes widened in terror even as they filled with moisture. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head as if to dismiss the images in her head. "You," she growled out as her face contorted in agony. The low timbre of her voice screamed her rage. "You killed my husband right in front of my eyes!"

Inuyasha's heart jumped to his throat. Was Miroku really dead? He had caught his scent along with the others on his way there. As far as his nose could tell, the monk was not anywhere nearby. But, he had been around this place and he had certainly been alive then.

The scent of tears was back, and Inuyasha stared at the droplets flowing down the young woman's cheeks with dread. Raising his hands in a gesture of peace, he tried to approach her. "Sango, please…"

The slayer's eyes snapped open, and the fathomless hatred in the depths of her brown orbs froze him in his place. Holding his sad gaze, she slowly raised her sword. "Yes, start pleading, monster," she hissed with venom. "Beg for your life, and perhaps, I'll be merciful enough to kill you with one blow like you did to Miroku!"

After that, Inuyasha had to accept the fact that he wouldn't be able to get to Sango. He couldn't escape the confines of the barrier and avoid her altogether, either. That left him no choice but to defend himself and hope that she would run out of stamina before he did. He stayed in close proximity to her, trying to knock her out every chance he got. However, Sango was too skilled a fighter and her rage was deadly. To make matters worse, his wound was giving him a hard time and he was already exhausted from his previous ordeals and the long trip he had taken there. In his state, it was next to impossible to restrain the enraged slayer.

She attacked and he dodged. She lunged and he parried. When he pushed especially hard on her sword after he met a powerful strike with the Tetsusaiga, she lost her footing and landed on the ground with a grunt. Excited at his chance, the hanyou stepped forward to kick her sword away. But, the slayer was not one to give up. With a sharp leg sweep, Inuyasha was also on his back.

Tetsusaiga flew from his slackened grip with the force of his fall and landed on the ground a few feet away, close to the Hiraikotsu. He dove to reach his sword, but Sango was fast. He hissed as he felt a sharp pain on his arm when Sango swiped at him to block his attempt. The slayer immediately lunged for another blow. Seeing that, he leaped high and landed on the other end of the clearing after a series of somersaults.

Once he was on his feet again, he looked down at his bleeding arm. It was impossible to cut through the fire rat fur with a regular human weapon that easily. "Damn that bitch," he cursed, realizing that the sword had to be imbued with spiritual power. Keiko was certainly trying to have him killed by the hand of his friend.

When he looked up, Sango had put her sword in her belt and had the Hiraikotsu in her hands. "Fuck!" he cried out as the giant boomerang flew toward him. This time, he was in deep shit.

* * *

Under the safety of Keiko's concealing barrier, Miroku watched with horror as his wife landed blow after blow to the almost defenseless hanyou. She was going to kill their friend under the wicked priestess' manipulation and regret it for the rest of her life. It was disturbingly similar to what had happened to Kohaku all those years ago. Miroku was not sure Sango could survive under such a heavy burden; she was too emotional.

"Damn," he cursed under his breath as the slayer's sword almost caught Inuyasha's leg. She had been too close to rendering the hanyou incapable of escaping her attacks. The monk had prayed for the hanyou's success when he tried to knock her out several times. Unfortunately, his enraged wife was impossible to handle. Miroku could tell that his friend was exhausted from the way his movements became sloppier by the moment. He suspected that the bleeding wound he could see from afar also took from the half-demon's strength. Trying to avoid the Hiraikotsu had tired the hanyou out even more, and after a few rounds, he had stayed close to the slayer, forcing her to abandon her giant weapon. This only ended in more cuts to Inuyasha's body. The more he bled, the fiercer Sango's blows became as if his pain fueled her strength.

Severing his gaze from the heart-breaking scene, Miroku glanced at Keiko, wishing her to disappear from the face of the earth. "Why Sango?" he asked with irritation. "Why not me?"

"Because, she's more emotional, more temperamental," was the priestess' quick reply. "She acts before she asks questions." She turned to look at him. "Remember when Tadashi visited you in the dungeons? He's a good soldier and did everything I asked of him. Now, your dear wife thinks that he killed you, and she will listen to no one until she avenges you. You see…" she said as she returned to watching the ruthless fight in the clearing. "Sango is much easier to manipulate. She always has been."

Once again, Miroku gaped in shock. Right before his eyes, Keiko was turning into Naraku. He could no longer control his anger. But, it was hard to decide what infuriated him more: that she could be such a heartless manipulator, or that he had not seen it before. "I can't believe you," he muttered. "All this hatred… and for what? Because, you're a simple woman who can't get over the fact that the man you wanted didn't want you."

Keiko's head turned sharply at his comment, but Miroku ignored it. "You used to say that Kikyo was your inspiration. Don't you see? Kikyo would have forgiven him long ago. You are so blinded by your anger that you can't see what has become of you. And I can't see where the Keiko I knew has gone. I wonder…" His voice trailed off as he appraised her rigid posture and clenched fists before he landed his final blow. "Is there really someone named Keiko, or are you just a bad imitation of a long dead woman?"

Keiko took in a deep breath to answer him but changed her mind when something caught her eye in the clearing. "Well, well," she chirped lightly. "Look at what we have here. Say hello to the monster, Miroku."

Confused, Miroku stared at the field and its two occupants. Sango was a whirlwind of motions as she attacked the hanyou again and again. On the other hand, Inuyasha looked like a bloody mess, struggling to dodge her strikes. The wind blew, sending his silver hair away from his face and causing Miroku to gasp at the sight of the jagged stripes adorning his cheeks. "No!" cried out the monk in fear. "He's losing control. If he transforms, he'll kill her, Keiko! Do something!"

The only response he received for his frantic pleading was a soft chuckle. He snapped his gaze to the high priestess to see her standing with her shoulders relaxed and her hands clasped in front of her chest in anticipation. Looking at her pleased form, Miroku finally understood her real intention. "Who is it that you are trying to get killed?" he asked in fury.

Keiko spun to face him. The hem of her red hakama and the loose sleeves of her white shirt fluttered in the breeze along with the tips of her long, dark hair. With her slim frame, she looked graceful like Kikyo, or even Kagome. The main difference was the thin fabric covering her head. For the first time since he had known her, Miroku was glad for the presence of that veil for it hid her hated face and the malice in her eyes from his gaze.

"Make no mistakes, Monk," she said. Her voice was hard with the sting of his earlier accusations. "You have been rightfully sentenced to death, and you will die. But, your blood will not be on our hands. Once Sango's out of the way, it will be your turn. You sided with the devil, and now, he will repay you."

Miroku's blood boiled with rage, and his features twisted in disgust. "There is only one devil here," he spat with venom. "And, it's certainly not Inuyasha."

The high priestess snorted before she turned away from him dismissively. "We'll see if you'll still think like that after he kills your wife," she uttered flatly.

The monk's blunt nails dug into his palms as he clenched his fists. "Damn you," he gritted out and for the first time, he really wished it for someone other than Naraku.

* * *

His muscles screamed in agony, his flesh ached wherever the sharp metal had cut through his skin and his life's essence slowly escaped him in crimson rivulets. The demon in his blood clawed to the surface, demanding control of his body.

But, Inuyasha didn't give up.

Even after his claws extended, his fangs elongated and his senses heightened, he managed to keep his head clear. He had long given up in his attempts to knock the slayer out in case he lost control and attacked her instead. The blood lust was strong, tempting his claws to dig into her flesh, but he resisted.

He jumped and dodged, exerting his strength more with every passing moment until he could feel that he was losing the fight with the demon in his veins. It became clear that he wasn't going to survive and go back to his mate unless he killed his friend. On the other hand, if she didn't kill him soon, he was going to lose control and taint his hands with Sango's blood. He couldn't live with such a burden — not when his heart was already crushed under the heavy weight of his _loss_.

There was only one choice now.

Even though Kagome would be upset, she would understand his decision. She would have chosen the same path if it had been her. He only hoped that she would be strong for him and survive. She had to.

She was the most stubborn wench he had ever known.

With his mind set, Inuyasha made no effort to block the slayer's kick and fell to his knees with the force of it. He gritted his teeth against the violent urge to feel the ripping of flesh beneath his fingers and dug his claws to the earth to keep them away from his friend.

As he closed his eyes and braced for Sango's deadly blow, the memory of two beautiful sapphire orbs and a breathtaking smile filled his vision and the happy laughter of two little pups echoed in his ears. "Kagome," he whispered softly, but it came out harsh with his roughened demonic voice. "I'm sorry."

* * *

The trees passed like the waves of a green sea as the unusual group of humans and demons flew over the forest. On her perch upon the giant pink balloon that was Shippo, Kagome kept her eyes open for any signs of her husband, even as she concentrated in search of his aura and held on to her bustling children at the same time.

"There's a clearing ahead!" yelled Kohaku from Kirara's back.

The miko glanced in the direction the young slayer pointed. "I see it," she yelled back before she gasped in surprise. She didn't know what it was, but even from the distance, she could sense that there was something different with that place. "That's where we'll go!" she shouted, and Kohaku nodded without question.

The closer they got to the clearing, the stronger Kagome could feel the surge of power emanating from there. Soon, she was able to make out two small figures — one red dot, jumping around wildly, closely followed by a black dot. "Inuyasha," she whispered before she urged her demon friends to fly faster.

She could sense the presence of her husband, but she could also sense something else surrounding him. Listening to the gut feeling she had, she directed the group to land among the trees right before they reached the clearing.

The miko was not comfortable with leaving her children behind, but she didn't want to endanger their well-being by dragging them into the unknown with her, either. After a brief discussion between the adults, Kagome and Kohaku decided to check the field out together while the demons stayed to protect the children.

Kneeling in front of the pups, the young woman hugged them tightly. "Stay here with Shippo and Kirara until I come to get you, okay?" she asked before burying her nose in their hair and breathing in their scents deeply. "I love you both so much."

"But, Mama!" objected Reika with a heartbreaking pout.

At the same time, Raiden started excitedly, "Mama! I can smell…:" However, he was silenced by his mother's stern look.

"No buts. Stay here," the miko ordered with finality as she rose to her feet and pretended to brush the leaves off of her red hakama to avoid their disappointed gazes. When she glanced at them from the corner of her eye, the boy was scowling fiercely while his sister's eyes shone suspiciously bright. Fearing that she would give in at the sight of tears, Kagome spun on her heels and left without a backward glance.

Kohaku walked by her side as they closed the small distance to the clearing. Once the trees gave way, they both gasped at the sight before them.

Inuyasha and Sango were locked in a battle, and the hanyou seemed to be losing. He was bleeding in several places, but what really frightened the miko were the jagged stripes on his cheeks. "No," she whispered. "He's going to kill her if he…" Her words got stuck in her throat when the least expected thing happened.

Inuyasha gave up.

She froze in horror as he fell to his knees in front of the slayer and simply waited for her to end his life. While Sango approached him tentatively and raised her sword, Kagome's heart beat wildly in her chest and she ran forward, screaming, "No!"

He couldn't die — not now, not ever.

She wouldn't let him.

* * *

Silver strands of hair blew in the wind, long claws dug into the earth and glowing red eyes opened to the sight of a shiny sword and a human woman carrying it.

She approached him slowly, looking like a warrior with the muscles on her arms and the calculating scowl on her face. Was she a threat?

Hardly.

He was going to enjoy ripping through her flesh. Her shiny sword was held high above his head; she was about to strike him. But before that, he was going to kill her.

The demon smirked in anticipation.

Far away, someone screamed, "No!"

He didn't listen.

The lust for blood was impossible to resist, and the weapon in the warrior's hand was going to make the kill much more fun. His fingers itched impatiently as he chose where to pierce her flesh.

Right as he raised his hand for the strike, a red and white blur came between him and his prey, blocking the woman from his gaze and stopping her arm from descending upon him.

The demon growled in irritation. He had been looking forward to cutting that arm off. Baring his fangs to his new prey's back, he swiped at the intruder, enraged with the interruption.

The scent of blood filled his nostrils, making his head spin in pleasure. Something at the back of his mind nagged at him as if he should know that scent, but he didn't care.

She slowly turned to him as he licked his claws, savoring the taste of the thick liquid. Her face reminded him of someone he used to know, but he didn't try to place it. Her lips moved, saying something about… love? He didn't know what that word meant. He smirked at her pathetic attempt to intimidate him with words.

From behind him, a high-pitched voice screamed, "Mama!" His ears twitched at the familiarity of it, but his hand was faster as it plunged deep into the intruder's chest.

A strong gust of wind blew through the meadow, sending strands of long silver hair flying wildly. Fresh blood dripped down impossibly long claws like crimson tears as the demon extracted his hand from his prey's chest. The broken body in his arms fell limply at his feet; her shredded white shirt was tainted with her life's essence, and her red hakama darkened fast as it soaked up the thick liquid. Her long, black hair spread over the dirt ground, framing her now ashen face in soft waves. Her eyes were left open as she exhaled her last breath. One could see the disbelief written in them — disbelief, and the remnants of love.

But, he didn't.

He had already turned his back to her. His crimson eyes were locked on his next target. The warrior woman had run to the edge of the clearing and was struggling desperately to free a human man from his binds. They both glanced at him with wide, frightened eyes. The small knife in her hands was no defense against his deadly claws. They knew it. He knew it.

Close to them stood another woman with a white cloth in her hands and fear on her face.

More prey…

A wicked smirk formed on the demon's face as he cracked his knuckles in preparation.

End of Chapter 19

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* * *

Oh, God! Who did Demon-Yasha kill? He's such a bad puppy! Has anyone seen Sesshoumaru lately? We might need the Tenseiga ASAP. But that would be such a cliché, wouldn't it? Do I want to do that?_

_Press the review button and help me decide!_


	20. The Color of Blood

**Disclaimer:** I neither own Inuyasha nor make any monetary gains by torturing him.

**Author's Note:** Sorry folks. I didn't mean to make you wait for so long after such a cliffhanger. This chapter is short, but I'm sure it will shed some light to the events of the previous one. The next chapter is on the way. Thanks for sticking around!

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Special thanks to my lovely betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree.

* * *

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**Warning:** Violence

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dreams or memories_

**Chapter 20: The Color of Blood**

"Damn you."

Miroku's words pierced through her consciousness even though Keiko was immersed in watching her carefully laid out plans unfold with success.

The sleeves of his red haori fluttered, and long strands of silver hair gently caressed the jagged stripes on his cheeks as Inuyasha jumped back to avoid yet another one of Sango's blows. Even at his worst, the hanyou was a sight to behold, and looking at him, Miroku's words echoed in the high priestess' mind. '_Damn you.'_ She snorted at the irony. She was already damned…

…by her traitor heart.

The said part of her body skipped a beat when the slayer's sword sliced through the air too close to the hanyou's neck. Keiko frowned at the unwelcome yet familiar sensation and told the spirited teenager that lingered somewhere in her soul to behave. She wasn't that girl anymore. Life had taught her to see the world with clarity.

Demons were evil by nature. Even the friendliest ones had the capability to destroy human life, and they would do so if given the chance. Keiko had been witness to that, been the victim of it. It had cost her more than her face to learn what they were: the natural enemies of humankind. It had shocked and hurt her to see the ones she had once called friends in that new light. She shouldn't have been surprised, though. After all, demons were predators — the top of the food chain. Humanity was bound to be hindered and slaughtered as long as demons existed. That was not acceptable. Humans were not mindless, soulless creatures to be preyed upon. Someone had to put a stop to that. So, Keiko did.

Now, the monk, whose wisdom the priestess had admired for so long, was accusing her of being in the wrong. But how could that be? Was she so wrong to want to change the order of the world — the order that killed her kind? Was it bad to want to make the world a safer place for children?

'No.' The immediate answer echoed in her thoughts as she shook her head in wordless reply to her unvoiced questions. It was the right thing to do. Miroku could think or say all he wanted. His judgment was clouded by his lingering allegiance to the hanyou, but Keiko could see what the world was made of: pure and tainted, good and evil, black and white. It was as simple as that.

'But, he…,' she thought as her gaze followed Inuyasha's movements.

He was all red.

It had been her favorite color once and the naïve girl in her still cheered for it. Dazzling, exciting and heart-warming…

The color of flames. It burned her eyes, yet they stubbornly sought it.

The color of passion. It destroyed her soul, but she still craved it.

The color of love. It broke her heart, but…

But, Keiko knew better now.

She had stupidly wanted her world to be painted in his color, until she had found out what it meant in the most painful way. It had nothing to do with love or passion.

It was the color of blood.

She watched in fascination while the hanyou struggled to dodge the slayer's attacks. His hands were coated with his blood as it flowed down his arms from the wounds the slayer had inflicted. Those hands selflessly took the damage from Sango's sword so that he would not hurt his friend. They were the same hands that had destroyed Keiko's face so easily. It hadn't been his hands that had made her really bleed, though. It had been his refusal.

The hatred in his voice, the disgust in his eyes…

That day from hell, her face had been the color of blood, but it had been her heart that had bled the most.

Unfortunately, a woman's heart was a treacherous little thing, and Keiko had quickly found out that hers was no different. Despite what Inuyasha had done to her, it still beat faster whenever she saw him.

And that was what infuriated Keiko the most.

She didn't want to feel that spark of excitement and neither did she want to acknowledge the fear of being wrong that came with it and the gnawing suspicion that maybe the monk was right, that she was a bitter woman who couldn't get what she wanted…

All she wanted now was for the hanyou to suffer. The more he suffered, the easier it would be for him to show his real colors to the world, starting with his friends.

The silver of his hair could outshine the moonlight with its soft glow; the gleam in his eyes could rival the sun on a mid-summer afternoon and the brilliance of his aura could mesmerize the purest of souls. But, none of that mattered.

His soul was black.

And once he killed Sango in this meadow, everyone would see that, including the priestess' heart.

Keiko wasn't blind. Even in war, she had seen how Inuyasha had refrained from killing humans as much as he could. Everything added to her fears, and that only increased her anger. The monk and the slayer's betrayal had been the last straw. For her sanity, she had to make everyone recognize what the hanyou was — a monster. Or else, the inkling of guilt that had been seeded in her chest long ago was going to be the end of her.

She shook her head to dispel that thought. Looking ahead, she did her best to ignore the grace of Inuyasha's movements and focused on the fight instead. She watched him struggle to stay in control while Sango made him bleed with her every move. And with his every move, Keiko's doubts sneaked back into her thoughts, starting to dominate her jumbled mind, and her fears clawed at her chest, making it harder to breathe.

The hanyou had transformed completely. The stripes on his cheeks were more prominent than ever; his claws were long enough to be noticeable from the distance and his menacing growls were loud enough to be heard even by Keiko's human ears, sending chills up her spine. But, he still wasn't attacking the slayer.

Dread filled the priestess' heart at the scene before her. This had not been in her plan.

The way Inuyasha looked — defeated but determined as he gave up — had not been in the plan. The way her heart jumped to her throat when he fell to his knees was not in the plan. The pain that shot through her chest when she thought of him gone from this world forever…

_That_ certainly had not been in the plan.

Before Keiko knew it, her legs were moving. Her veil flew off of her head, and all the barriers she had carefully constructed fell apart along with the lies she had told herself for years as she ran forward without hesitation.

In the brief moments that it took for her to shield the hanyou from Sango's view and grab the slayer's hand to stop her blow, Keiko's mind had caught up to her heart and body. Despite the state he was in, Inuyasha didn't kill his friend; he chose to die instead. His soul was not black, after all.

She had been wrong.

Inuyasha was not a monster.

With Keiko's intrusion, the spell over Sango disappeared. The sword fell from the woman's hand, and she staggered back. The priestess watched the emotions swirl in the slayer's eyes; confusion flashed in her brown orbs as they switched from Keiko to the kneeling figure of the hanyou behind her before they widened in horror.

That look, coupled with Miroku's earlier accusations and her recent revelations, knocked the breath out of Keiko's lungs. She opened her mouth to say something to wipe that look off of her former friend's face, but words failed her. A deep growl was the only warning she received before she realized the big mistake she had made by focusing on Sango and turning her back to the one she had really wronged.

The instant pain in her back reminded her of that as Inuyasha's claws cut through her skin.

She blinked in shock as it spread through her nerves in scorching waves. Gasping for breath, she turned to face him. Looking down at the man she had loved and tortured to the brink of death, the pain in her body dulled in comparison to the one in her heart.

Miroku had been right. Keiko had told herself that she had done everything because Inuyasha was a monster and she was meant to be a great priestess that cleansed the world from the evil of his kind. But, the truth was that she was a woman scorned and she only wanted to make the object of her twisted affections suffer because of it. Without realizing it, she had become her worst enemy by lying to herself.

How had she become so blind?

Now, as she looked down at the half-demon, Keiko could see clearly. It had been her all along, not him. She successfully brought out the evil that he fought against with all his being.

Didn't that make her the real monster?

It had to; no one else could have hurt the one they loved so badly.

Her limbs trembled, and her knees threatened to give out. "I'm sorry," she croaked out. "I've been a fool who doesn't know how to love." Breathing was becoming harder, and with each word, her voice weakened until she was merely whispering. Praying that he understood, that he was at least listening, she inhaled a shaky breath and added, "If you could only see…"

But, he didn't.

The hanyou only smirked, his red eyes uncaring, before he plunged his hand into her chest and squeezed her heart, finally putting an end to her years of suffering. He had the same indifferent look as she fell down at his feet.

Keiko's thoughts were fading fast along with her pain. Just like Kikyo, she was bleeding to death from the claws of a hanyou. But this wasn't what she wanted, was it? She couldn't remember; she didn't know. Before blackness took over her world, the last thing she saw was Inuyasha's face. And, his eyes…

His eyes were the color of blood.

And, they were beautiful.

End of Chapter 20


	21. The Phoenix

**Disclaimer:** I neither own Inuyasha nor make any monetary gains by torturing him.

**Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews, especially to those that I didn't get a chance to reply in private. I'm working hard to finish this story before the New Year. Wish me good luck please and expect an update next week!

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* * *

Special thanks to my lovely betas Ai Kisugi, Hedanicree and SplendentGoddess.

* * *

_

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dreams or memories_

**Chapter 21: The Phoenix**

"No!" The cry that broke out from Kagome's heart echoed in her ears as her feet pushed at the ground with the force of her desperation.

In the middle of the field, Inuyasha knelt on the ground with his head bowed in acceptance, waiting to meet his end via the slayer's sword. He was too far away, and even though the miko knew that she wouldn't make it in time to save her love, she still ran as if her life was on the line.

And in a sense, it was.

Her heart pounded against its cage in sync with her rapid steps, but the distance with the anchor of her existence did not diminish fast enough. A sense of déjà vu hit her then, reminding her that she did not have to touch him to make him move. She opened her mouth with the magic word of subjugation on the tip of her tongue and she would have said it had it not been for the sudden appearance of someone out of the blue.

Before Kagome could find her voice, a shock of red and white and black flew toward the duo and blocked Inuyasha from the miko's vision. Kagome unconsciously slowed to a stop as she tried to process the unexpected sight before her.

Keiko stood facing Sango with her scarred face bared to the world. Her body shielded the hanyou as her hand kept the slayer's sword-wielding arm at bay.

Kagome couldn't believe her eyes. 'Keiko saved Inuyasha?'

As disbelief gave way to relief, the miko wondered what the wicked priestess' motives were and how she appeared out of nowhere. She hadn't noticed anyone else in the meadow other than the fighting duo. Movement to the side caught her attention and brought her gaze away from the middle of the field and to Miroku, who was bound to a tree and struggling against his restraints. Judging by his state, the monk had to have been there all along, and Kagome suspected that Keiko had been with him as well. 'She must have concealed their presence with a barrier.'

Not for the first time, the lengths the high priestess would go to get what she wanted astonished the young woman and reminded her that even though the imminent threat to Inuyasha's life was eliminated, he was still in grave danger with the enemy so close to his person. Keiko could have stopped Sango simply because she had had a change of heart and had decided to kill the hanyou with her own hands.

With that thought, Kagome snapped her head in time to see Inuyasha's claws tear through the skin at Keiko's back. The miko gasped in horror, and her knees gave out underneath her. She had been so concerned for her husband's safety that she had forgotten that he was the most dangerous player on the field.

And, it was a good thing that he was, for it kept him alive.

Kagome scrunched her eyes shut against the little voice in her mind. Her fingers clawed at the ground as she fought the onslaught of shame she felt at her selfishness. Was it so bad that she was relieved to see that her love was safe? At what cost? When her fingers closed around soft fabric instead of dirt, she looked down to see what was in her grasp: Keiko's veil.

The silken cloth mesmerized her. Whereas its color symbolized purity and innocence, this garment was the symbol of the taint in Keiko's heart, of what Kagome had almost lost and what she still had to lose.

Hurried steps brought her attention back to the field. She saw Sango run to Miroku's side. Keiko was facing Inuyasha now. The hanyou crouched low, licking the blood on his claws. The miko knew he was going to kill the high priestess unless he was stopped, and without having to consider it, she knew that she had to do anything she could to stop him. It didn't matter whether Keiko deserved to die by his hand or not. Even if he killed her, it had to be by his conscious decision.

Kagome opened her mouth to subdue him, but it seemed like the Kami were against her interruption.

"Mama!" cried out a voice she knew by heart, making her forget about everything but the safety of her babies.

Kagome jumped to her feet and whirled around to the source of the voice to see Kohaku drag Reika back into the woods. Her shoulders sagged in relief. Knowing that her little princess was safe, the miko turned to stop her husband…

… and froze.

She was too late. Inuyasha retracted his hand out of Keiko's chest, and the high priestess' lifeless form fell limply at his feet. Unfazed by the death of his longtime torturer, the hanyou stood up. His red gaze washed over the remaining occupants of the meadow. He was, without doubt, choosing his next prey.

Time stood still for the miko as a soft breeze caressed her stoic face and ruffled the white cloth she still clutched in her hand. What was she supposed to feel? Sadness or satisfaction? Regret or relief? Right then, all she could feel was horror. And that feeling escalated to an unbearable level the moment she saw a tiny figure run past her in a blur of red and silver.

"Raiden!" she cried out. "Stop!"

But, the boy paid her no heed as he barreled toward his father. Inuyasha had taken only a couple of steps before Raiden ran into his leg.

She should have put a rosary on her son as well.

Kagome's heart jumped to her throat when Inuyasha raised his claws to attack. When she finally had the chance to say the word, she couldn't do it; it would crush the boy under his father's weight and possibly do more damage than the hanyou's claws would.

Clearly unaware of the danger he was in, Raiden clutched at Inuyasha's leg with the excitement of a puppy welcoming its beloved owner at the end of the day. "Papa!" The boy's voice rang clear in Kagome's ears, as clear as the hostility she could read in the hanyou's ruby eyes.

She took a step forward, intent on protecting her child at all cost, when a second figure ran past her. This time, however, Kagome was faster and she grabbed Reika before it was too late. She hugged her daughter to her chest tightly despite the girl's protests.

Inuyasha hadn't hurt Raiden yet, and it gave the miko hope. His claws were still bared, but instead of attacking, he was watching with curiosity as the boy struggled to climb up his leg. One side of his lips was twisted up in an amused smirk. It reminded Kagome of a cat playing with a helpless mouse before its certain death.

The hair on her arms stood up, and her fists tightened in reflex, bunching up Reika's flowery kimono in their grasp. She could feel the energy rising within her veins; she was ready to purify her husband if need be and she would certainly do it to save her son.

_Their_ son…

Even if her powers didn't kill Inuyasha, harming his pup surely would. But how could she pull it off? She wasn't close enough to touch him and she didn't have her bow and arrows with her — she didn't even remember where she had left them. Any sudden movement on her part could mean Raiden's death. Besides, if she did manage to purify the hanyou by some miracle, what would happen to their children? They had never been subjected to purification. Would it hurt them? Were they strong enough to survive? Would it simply turn them into humans or…

Or, would it kill them?

While the miko painfully considered her options, Raiden was making progress in his attempts to climb up the deadly hanyou's stony form and getting closer to his bloody claws in the process. Like a monkey, he used both his hands and feet to get to his destination. When the boy was hanging off his haori at his waist, Inuyasha growled in warning. To Kagome's horror, instead of running off with fright, the pup growled back playfully and his smile widened, thinking that it was a game they used to play.

Inuyasha's growl turned into a snarl as he bore his fangs to the boy. Kagome knew then that hoping for a miracle was futile; he was going to kill the child. She ran forward right as the hanyou flexed his fingers and let them descend upon his son's throat.

His claws were too long for Raiden's tiny throat, too sharp for the child's soft skin and too dirty to touch the purity of innocence. The claws she had never feared before…

They were killing her baby.

But, they didn't. Not yet.

What stopped the hanyou's attack was not Raiden's brilliant smile as he looked up at his father. It was the miko's sudden movement; and instead of the boy's throat, he swiped at her.

Kagome gasped in pain as sharp claws scratched at her outstretched hand and jumped back in time to avoid further damage.

"Mama," whimpered Reika fearfully, bringing the growling hanyou's red gaze on her. "Papa hurt you?"

Tightening her hold on her daughter, Kagome rushed to reassure the child. "No, baby. It was an accident. He didn't mean it." Seeing the concern in Reika's huge golden orbs brought tears to the miko's eyes. The children had never witnessed Inuyasha's transformation before, and she regretted that they had to see it now. Something had to be done, and soon. She forced her steady gaze on the girl instead of her unpredictable husband. Though, out of the corner of her eye, she caught the movement of his ears as they twitched madly at the sound of her voice. "Papa wouldn't hurt any of us," she declared with certainty. "He loves us too much to do that."

Turning to the hanyou, she whispered, "Inuyasha." His name on her lips was a plea that she wasn't sure he would hear. But, she had to try. Watching the hanyou's reactions and keeping Reika out of reach, she approached the father and son — this time, with carefully measured steps.

He growled in warning when she came too close for his comfort, but she wasn't deterred. Instead of cowering, she slowly reached for him. The mild sting on her injured wrist was already forgotten once her fingers finally contacted the soft skin of his cheek. "Please, come back," she begged.

The moment she touched him, he suddenly pulled back as if shocked. His growls ceased at her touch, and Kagome's heart thumped with hope. His nostrils flared with his effort to recognize the familiar scents assaulting his senses. Encouraged by his lack of hostility, the miko let her hand graze his skin once more before she gently caressed his cheek. "Come back to us, love."

Inuyasha blinked several times before he closed his eyes tightly. The miko could see the battle he was having with his demon by his shaking fists as he fought to keep them away from his family. She knew the moment her Inuyasha finally won; his arms fell to his sides and the jagged stripes on his cheeks faded to reveal his smooth skin. Tears of relief sprang to Kagome's eyes when he opened his golden orbs in confusion before looking off to the side where Keiko lay lifeless.

* * *

The scent of rust and salt jerked Inuyasha away from the blissful fog of unawareness. He could feel the tingling in his nose even though the rest of his senses were lost to him.

'Blood?'

When he had closed his eyes to the world, he had been awaiting Sango's killing blow. Was it possible to smell your death as your life's essence leaked out of your cut throat? It had to be. The scent burning his nostrils reminded him of death, of loss and nothingness. But, there was something wrong with it. He knew for sure that it was what kept him alive.

As sure as he knew that it wasn't _his_ blood.

Something kept pushing him down to the abyss — a force within his unfeeling body, determined to suppress, eager to control. But, he needed to see, so he pushed back.

Before his eyes, his trusted nose let him know the source of the scent that pulled him out of unconsciousness.

'Kagome's blood!'

A string of profanities echoed through his mind. He had left her behind with the sole purpose of protecting her. But, that wench was always good about acting against his wishes. In fact, she did it as if she had a death wish. And, she did it again; his nose never lied to him.

Kagome was nearby.

And, she was hurt.

What happened? Did Sango attack her, too? Or was it the holy bitch? Panic gripped at his soul. Kagome could have been dead by now, and he was… What was he? He surely wasn't dead if he could still feel fear. Did that mean he had transformed completely? Had it been his claws that had hurt Kagome?

'No!' His voiceless cry brought with it the power he needed to break through the barrier that kept him in the abyss.

He had to see.

Hands turned into fists as sharp claws dug into his palms painfully. He welcomed the pain; it was infinitely better than emptiness. Long fangs bit into helpless lips as he fought over the control of his body until every single part of it was his again. Once he could finally feel his tightly closed eyelids, he opened them slowly.

His vision was blurry at first. Black and white covered his sight in shapeless shadows. Then, a fleck of red caught his attention and he looked to the side, focusing on the only color that made sense; Kagome had been wearing red when he had last seen her.

The sight of a lifeless form clad in miko robes combined with the scent of Kagome's blood threatened to shed him of his sanity. But, the now familiar warmth on his cheek kept him grounded, compelling him to look away from the corpse and to the people standing in front of him.

His fears must have been correct. Kagome had died, and so had he. And somehow, they met in heaven. Nothing else could explain the amazing sight before him.

Reika, his beautiful princess, sat in her mother's arms, wearing the flowery kimono he had traded a herd of elks to get for her. Her tiny lips pulled up in a smile when his gaze met her equally golden one.

The negligible weight dangling on his chest turned out to be none other than his brave son. A wide grin stretched over the boy's face as he looked up at the older hanyou with hope.

His pups.

His disbelieving gaze swept over the pups back and forth. It had been ten years since he had been graced with the sight of their happy smiles, little twitching ears, their chubby hands and tiny, bare feet. They hadn't changed even a single bit. Why? Was it because…

They weren't real?

When his eyes finally settled on their mother, they held the question he was afraid to voice — afraid that it would turn out to be another cruel trick set up to destroy what was left of his sanity. By the sad smile Kagome gave him, he knew that she understood.

Her smile widened slightly as she simply nodded her head in confirmation.

It was true.

They were alive.

His pups were alive.

A soft whimper escaped his lips as Inuyasha's face twisted with a heart-breaking combination of sadness and a mystified smile. This time, it was overwhelming relief and joy that brought the mighty hanyou to his knees as he dropped to the ground.

Raiden took the opportunity to settle down in his lap. Still holding Reika, Kagome mirrored the hanyou's position as she sat down in front of him. The moment her knees touched the ground, Reika slid out of the confines of her arms and crawled to the hanyou's lap to join her brother.

Inuyasha watched in wonder, unable to make a sound as the pups hugged his neck and started asking questions and talking about Kami knew what. Everything was changing so fast that he couldn't make sense of anything. One moment ago, he had believed that he had lost his precious babies forever, and now they were in his arms, safe and alive. He had thought that he would never see them again, that he would never hear their joyful laughter, feel their warmth, or smell their sweet scents…

He breathed in deeply, relishing the delightful fragrances of his children as if it were his last chance to do so. They smelled of the first blossoms of spring, of grass after rain, of hope and love and life…

They smelled like a dream.

He tentatively brought his hands up to touch the silky strands of their silver hair but froze at the sight of his bloody claws. Horror gripped at his heart, but not because of what he might have done. He couldn't care less about who he had killed; all that mattered was in front of him, and they were too pure to be soiled with blood.

But, he _had to_ touch them.

"Kagome," he whimpered helplessly. "My hands… my hands, Kagome. I can't…"

"I know, love," soothed his miko with a trembling voice as she produced a flask of water from seemingly out of nowhere and proceeded to wash his hands. Once his hands were finally clean, he touched the children's heads timidly, afraid that they would disappear.

They didn't.

Holding a small lock of Reika's hair, he hesitantly brought it to his nose. He sniffed once and then twice before he buried his nose into her hair and clutched both pups to his chest. At that moment, the cry that broke out of him was both an apology and gratitude to the ones he had cursed for the last ten years.

"Oh, Gods!"

* * *

Off to the side of the clearing where the heartbreaking reunion of the once broken family took place, Miroku sat leaning against the tree he had been bound to a few minutes prior. Sango sat on his lap, crying like she had never done before and seeking comfort in her husband's arms.

Miroku stroked her hair and back soothingly, whispering words of endearment as he waited for her tears to subside. He had never seen his wife so hysterical, but he couldn't blame her; his head was still spinning from the events of the last few minutes.

He hadn't expected Keiko to run to Inuyasha's rescue, but now that he thought about it, he shouldn't have been surprised. Keiko had never planned for Inuyasha's death. If she had wanted him dead, she would have seen to it when he had been at her mercy in the dungeons of the castle. But, she hadn't done it then and she didn't let it happen now.

From that moment on, everything had happened so fast.

The moment Keiko had moved, Kagome had burst through the trees, but she had been too far away to make it in time. Keiko had been the one to save Inuyasha, but it had cost the high priestess her life. And then, the children had appeared out of nowhere followed by Kohaku and Shippo. The young men stayed back, seeing that their involvement would only irritate the hanyou-turned-demon more and endanger the pups' lives.

In the mean time, Sango had run to Miroku's side and started tugging at his binds. She had been crying and mumbling incoherently, but Miroku had been too entranced by the unfolding events to pay attention to anything else. By the time she had freed her husband, the hanyou had returned to normal. The monk had seen Kohaku throw his flask to Kagome before he and Shippo loaded the deceased priestess' corpse on Kirara's back and led the cat demon away from the clearing.

The sound of a harsh sob brought Miroku's gaze away from the reunited family to the woman in his arms. Sango was shaken up badly, but she was alive, and so was everyone else he cared about. Overcome with relief, Miroku hugged his wife tighter and kissed her temple.

Sango was frantic as she clawed at his back to get closer. "I-I th-thought…" she stuttered between sobs. "I thought you were d-dead!"

"Shhh," whispered Miroku, hoping to soothe her with the timbre of his voice. "I know, love. I'm here. I'm here. It's over."

Sniffling, Sango pulled back slightly and wiped at her cheeks before looking up at him. She was so beautiful with her shimmering doe eyes and her runny nose. "I couldn't live without you, Miroku," she whimpered through her reddened lips, and all Miroku wanted at that moment was to kiss her.

So, he did just that.

Pressing his lips softly against hers, he tasted their salty wetness gratefully. "Neither could I breathe without you, love," he whispered against her lips before he pulled back to pin her with his steady gaze. "But we're alive now, and there's no reason to worry about that."

The hint of a smile blossomed on Sango's face as she cupped his cheek and stroked his jaw with her thumb. She let out a trembling sigh and settled against his chest, facing the meadow. It wasn't long before Miroku heard her gasp. "Oh, Kami," she exhaled, looking at the pups in Inuyasha's lap. "They're…"

"Yes," the monk interrupted before she could finish. "They are alive."

The slayer was silent as she watched their friends interact with their spirited children in wonder. After a while, she asked, "What happened to them?"

Anticipating his wife's volatile reaction, Miroku tightened his hold on her. "They were bound to the Goshinboku," he blurted in a rush. Just as he expected, Sango gasped in shock and tried to get out of his arms. Ignoring her attempts, he continued, "They were suspended in time by a spell not unlike the one Inuyasha had been under. Keiko used a concealing barrier to make sure no one found them."

"That bitch," spat Sango venomously. When it became clear that he wasn't going to let her out of his arms so that she could punch something, she deflated against his chest. "She deceived us all, and we fell for her lies like fools. I can't believe I fell for her illusions so easily," she mumbled dejectedly. "But, it was so real, Miroku."

The monk stroked her back in reassurance. "It wasn't your fault, Sango. Which one of us didn't fall for Keiko's manipulation? Besides, she even sent Tadashi to the dungeons to rile you up beforehand. You didn't stand a chance against her scheming. None of us did."

"Still, I could have killed him," muttered the slayer, looking at her hanyou friend with sad eyes. "I don't understand. If that was what she wanted, why did she stop me?"

"Because she wasn't trying to have you kill him." Miroku's declaration brought Sango's attention back to her husband. "She was trying to force _him_ into killing _you_, Sango," he claimed as he held her surprised gaze. "You and I… We were sentenced to death, anyway. She was trying to break him even more by dropping the weight of your death on his shoulders. And, she was going to have me watch while he took your life with his claws. We betrayed Keiko by helping Inuyasha escape, and she wanted to make me suffer, to make me feel the pain of betrayal. The next step would have been to have me fight against him as well, and I would have done so if he killed you; she knew that."

Furrowing his brows, Miroku looked away from the pain in Sango's eyes and to the tortured but still very much alive hanyou. "Keiko never tried to kill him really," he mumbled in thought. "I don't think she could have lived in a world where he didn't exist."

A warm hand on his cheek gently coaxed his gaze to meet Sango's questioning one.

"Keiko was…" he started, feeling the wrongness of the words even before he uttered them. "…_in love…_ with Inuyasha."

Sango's eyes widened before she scoffed. "But… but, that's… that's…"

Knowing the word she was having trouble to find, Miroku finished for her. "Twisted, I know. She was a woman scorned, Sango. And this is where her ego led her." With his head, he gestured to the woods where they had taken Keiko's body.

Looking around the field where a disaster had almost taken place, the monk sighed tiredly. "We should leave this place as soon as possible, but first, we have a funeral to attend."

"What?" asked the slayer as she turned in his arms to glare at him. "After everything she did, we'll give her a funeral?"

Unfazed by the look she was giving him, Miroku nodded gravely. "We can't afford to leave any evidence of what transpired here, Sango. If they find her body, they'll know that we're alive and there'll be more reason to hunt us down. But if we cremate her now, no one will know for sure who died here and who lived. That will at least give us more time to decide what to do."

He could see that his argument made sense when Sango bit her lip in silent acceptance. "It's not just that, though," he added more somberly. "I know you disliked the Keiko that died in this clearing today; I didn't like her either."

Sango snorted sarcastically. "_Dislike_ is not a strong enough word, Miroku."

Miroku nodded his agreement. "No, it's not. But… don't you remember the first time she had come to our village? She had been so young, so willing to learn, to help. She had so much potential to do good, but all that was ruined because of her emotions." When Sango opened her mouth to protest, he silenced her with a finger on her lips. "…emotions that _any_ teenage girl could have developed for a guy like Inuyasha," he asserted with conviction. "What Keiko needed was guidance to find the right path, but she had none. We were the only friends she had, but she couldn't come to any of us with her feelings for our married friend, could she? Had we paid closer attention, I think we could have seen the love in her eyes every time she looked at him and prevented it from getting out of hand like it did. But, we chose to chalk it up to admiration for the village's hero. I guess, in a sense, we're responsible for Keiko's destruction from the very beginning."

Acceding to his point, Sango's face fell.

"We can't change the past," the monk added with a sigh as he guided her head to his chest and resumed stroking her hair. "But, the least we can do for the girl we knew all those years ago is to give her a proper funeral. Right?"

The slayer nodded wordlessly before her attention was diverted to the trio that entered the clearing. Their son and twin daughters looked around in confusion before they spotted their parents. Sango jumped to her feet and ran to hug her children, leaving Miroku to watch his family in blissful exhaustion.

A few meters away, Inuyasha still sat with his pups in his lap. He had one arm wrapped around each pup while Kagome tried to keep the wiggling children from pressing on his injuries. It seemed that the hanyou couldn't have cared less about his wounds; he wore the biggest smile Miroku had ever seen on his face as he took every opportunity to place a sloppy kiss on the children's cheeks, hair, ears, hands — whichever part of their little bodies he could reach. Seeing his friend so affectionate brought a smile to the monk's face, but also made him wonder what the couple was going to think about his plans.

* * *

Reddish flames born from a large pile of wood hungrily licked at the body lying on top of it. To the witnesses gathered around, it seemed like they were performing a rather spirited dance of farewell as they eagerly enveloped the lifeless form with the welcoming warmth of hell. Heavy smoke rose from the sizzling fire only to be scattered by the harsh wind.

In between the slayer and the monk, Kagome stood like a stone as she watched Keiko burn.

Inuyasha stayed back with the pups. He didn't want to be involved; he didn't even acknowledge that there had ever been someone like Keiko.

Kagome couldn't blame him.

The group had argued about whether to simply bury the body and be done with it or to cremate it before they had finally decided on the latter, trusting the strong wind to blow the smoke far enough to prevent exposure. The remains were to be scattered around; no one was willing to take the risk of dealing with another resurrected priestess any time soon.

After Sango and Miroku left her side, Kagome remained motionless, lost in her thoughts. In her hands was the white veil she had found earlier and had unconsciously tucked in her shirt sometime during her struggles to keep her family alive.

The miko had been so angry with the deceased priestess for what she had done to her family. But despite everything she had done, Keiko still had a heart — one that hadn't let her really harm the children. For that, Kagome was grateful.

Now, as she watched the flames lick at Keiko's body, all the miko could feel for her former friend and foe was pity. The high priestess had had all the time in the world to turn around, to right her wrongs, but she hadn't done it — not until the last moment. Whatever Keiko's reasons had been, Kagome hoped that they had been worth it in the end and that she would find peace in death.

Because from that moment on, the miko was going to live in peace with her children and her husband, knowing that she was dearly loved.

She moved to throw the veil into the flames, ready to get rid of everything that could remind her of Keiko, but at the sight of the white cloth, Kagome hesitated before pulling her hand back. "My memories of you will disappear like your smoke dissolves into thin air," she whispered. "But, I'll never forget what I almost lost. This," she said as she fisted the garment in her hand. "This will be a constant reminder of that, not of you."

With her mind set, Kagome tucked the veil in her shirt and spared a last glance at the fire. "Goodbye, Keiko," she mumbled and turned her back to what was left of the high priestess and her past.

Walking toward the edge of the clearing, the miko could make out Inuyasha's figure in the distance standing close to the pups as they ran around the trees. Her heart soared once again, and a huge smile blossomed on her face at the sight of her future.

* * *

"No, Papa!" cried out Raiden with his eyes wide in horror, causing the birds residing on the surrounding trees take off in fright. "Don't!"

A low growl resonated through the woods, sending tremors up Inuyasha's leg as he looked down at his daughter in surprise. Reika's cheeks were red in anger as she sat in her father's lap, holding a small cup in her hands and glaring daggers at her brother. "Shush, you baka!" she screamed, wiggling one tiny finger in the mortified boy's direction. "It'll help him heal."

With a decisive nod, his little healer took a piece of the 'medicine' she had diligently prepared in the wooden cup and extended it to Inuyasha's face. Seeing the hopeful expression on her face as she waited for him to accept her offering, Inuyasha couldn't deny his daughter and opened his mouth. The moment he did so, she stuck the handful of makeshift medicine into his mouth, causing his taste buds to scream in agony.

"That's nasty!" cried out Raiden, voicing his father's thoughts precisely.

"No, it's not!" protested Reika with her hands on her hips.

Despite having her father's coloring and other hanyou features, she resembled her mother too much, especially at times like these. It used to scare Inuyasha to think about how he would deal with her temper as she grew up. But now, he couldn't care less about the troubles he would have to face as long as she had a chance to grow up.

Unaware of the rather melancholic path her father's thoughts had taken and the soft look he was giving her, the little girl declared with certainty, "Papa likes it!" Then, seeking his support, she turned her doe eyes on the older hanyou. "Don't you, Papa?"

Inuyasha nodded with his mouth full of the disgusting mixture he was trying hard not to swallow. There was grass in it and dirt and feathers and… 'Is that dry stuff rabbit shit?' He couldn't help it; his face scrunched up in disgust.

Several giggles rose up from the group sitting around them, Shippo being the loudest.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in warning, but the young fox demon chose to ignore it. Raising an eyebrow in challenge, the hanyou muttered through a mouthful of dirt, "I think Shippo wants to have some too, princess."

Shippo started shaking his head in objection, but the glare Inuyasha sent him stopped him from bolting. The fox opened his mouth tentatively, and a pitiful whimper left him once the nasty concoction hit his tongue.

Everyone started laughing out loud.

"Ew!" exclaimed Raiden, who started making retching noises and holding his stomach dramatically. Reika's cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson before she started chasing her brother around the group.

While the pups were distracted, Inuyasha silently stood up and sneaked off toward the clearing to spit the now muddy mixture out of his mouth. When he looked up, Miroku and Sango were back from the clearing. The scent of smoke was heavy around them, causing the hanyou to wrinkle his nose in distaste as they passed by him. Their somber expressions turned to one of amusement when they saw him. Confused, Inuyasha checked the corner of his mouth with the tip of his finger to find a large grass blade stuck there. Cursing under his breath, he pried it off of his face and tried to flick it off of his finger. But, the wet blade wouldn't come off without a fight. With an annoyed growl, he stalked up to the nearest tree and rubbed his finger on its bark, effectively getting rid of the stubborn piece of grass.

Now that he was so close to the clearing — the one place he had avoided for the last couple hours — his eyes caught the sight of the fire and the woman standing in front of it. He couldn't help it; he stared. Kagome watched as what had remained of Keiko turned to ashes while Inuyasha watched the beauty she exuded from afar as she stood like a statue.

The woman enveloped in the flames could no longer bother him. 'Serves her right,' he thought without a hint of guilt on his conscience. He had burned for years; now, it was her turn to be lost in fire. She was gone forever, but he…

He was reborn from his ashes.

During his years of torment, he had done a lot of things he wasn't proud of, including the murder of the monster that lay over a pile of wood a few yards away. In his mind's eye, he could still see the blood on his hands. But, his children cleansed his soul. He was their protector, he was their provider and he was their avenging angel. He would be dark as death; he would be white as an angel; or he would get drenched in crimson. He would be anything they needed him to be, would take on any color for them. He was their _father_.

And, they were his salvation…

…while the beautiful woman smiling at him from across the clearing was his light.

A large grin broke out on his face as Kagome made her way to him. Her brilliant smile only widened once she reached his side. He extended his hand, and she took it without pause. Together, they returned to their pups.

He knew that it wasn't over yet. There was a war going on, and he had a great responsibility to fulfill. He could sense that things were going to get ugly again soon. But, he would think about that tomorrow.

Today, he had been given his life back.

And, he was going to live it.

End of Chapter 21


	22. A Breath of Life

**Disclaimer:** I neither own Inuyasha nor make any monetary gains by torturing him.

**Author's Note:** LOL Who said the story was finished? I know that the previous chapter had a climactic feeling to it like many of you pointed out, but we have a few more chapters until we're done here. Wait for the next update for more action!

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* * *

Special thanks to my lovely betas Ai Kisugi, Hedanicree and SplendentGoddess.

* * *

_

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Dreams or memories_

**Chapter 22: A Breath of Life**

The scent of hot, steamy broth permeated the air in the woods as the wind blew from the direction of the village nearby. It made Miroku think of a feast consisting of miso soup, sashimi and cups of sake. There was little the monk wouldn't trade for a rich meal after having eaten so much dried food and roasted rabbits without any sake to make their passage through his throat a little easier. A hot bath and a warm, comfortable bed to sleep in afterward would also be greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, even though he had the means to earn those comforts for at least a night, he could not lead his friends to any of the villages they had passed by since they had set out from the clearing.

Unlike their travels during the quest for the jewel, their little group of demons and humans would not simply be considered unusual and frowned upon. In the eyes of those who had lost family members to the war between the two races, Miroku and his family were traitors while their demonic friends were the enemy.

In a sense, they were right; in a sense, they weren't.

No one would listen if Miroku tried to argue his case, though. In times of war, people tended to attack before they asked questions. For that reason, the group was careful to remain in the woods, keeping away from any open roads as they traveled, which hindered their progress considerably.

Sighing wistfully, Miroku urged his horse to catch up to his wife, who was riding the only other horse they had with Kagome.

Myoga, who had been suspiciously absent for a while, had shown up before the group had set out for the Western Castle. The old flea had claimed that he had known Kagome would have succeeded in rescuing her husband and friends and that he had merely gone in search of a way to facilitate their escape. No one believed him; nevertheless, they had been grateful for his return once he had led them to a secluded place where he had found two horses secured to a tree.

One of the horses had been tied to a cart. Apparently, Keiko had been planning to take at least one prisoner back to the castle with her, and the monk had no doubts as to whom it was.

In line with his thoughts, Miroku's eyes turned to the half-demon running ahead of the group.

Inuyasha didn't like horses, and the feeling was mutual. Despite his wounds, he insisted on traveling on foot and carrying his pups on his back. Whether it was because of the temporary rise of his demonic blood or because of his renewed attachment to life after having his family restored to him, the hanyou was healing remarkably fast.

As if he had heard the monk's thoughts, Inuyasha effortlessly jumped up to perch on a high branch, showing exactly how much better he was feeling. He let the pups down so that they could chase a surprised squirrel along the branch and up the tree's bark. Shippo, now transformed from a pink balloon to an orange squirrel with a green bow on its head, ran after the children.

Kirara, who was returning from scouting ahead with Miroku's kids and brother-in-law on her back, hovered in the air next to the hanyou while he and Kohaku engaged in a conversation that left the monk wondering. He wasn't left in the dark for long, though. After nodding to Inuyasha, the young slayer led the cat demon down to the ground to meet the horse-riders and let them know that they had found a cave and a spring not that far away from their location.

True to Kohaku's word, they arrived at the site before sunset. The spring was not hot like Miroku would have preferred, but still, it felt good to have fresh water to pour down his throat after hours of riding. Combing his hair back with wet fingers, he looked up to the mouth of the cave. The younglings were already engaged in a game that involved lots of running around while the women unloaded the horses. Inuyasha stood close to the pups, but his eyes were trained on Kagome. His nose was scrunched up in distaste, and he was glaring daggers at the intricate set of bow and arrows she was carrying to the cave — _Keiko's_ bow and arrows.

It turned out that the miko had forgotten her bow on Kirara's back in her hurry to get to Inuyasha, and it had been broken during the hassle to keep the pups away from the clearing. Apparently, Inuyasha's kids were considerably troublesome when they wanted to be — even for a group of two young, strong men, three skilled teenagers and an adult cat demon.

"No doubts as to whom they take after," mumbled Miroku as he made his way back to his friends. Reaching the hanyou's side, the monk patted his shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. "Don't dwell on it, Inuyasha. Like she said, it's only until we find a replacement. We do need all the protection we can have, after all."

Inuyasha glanced at him from the corner of his eye before he furrowed his brows. "Feh! Dunno what you're talking 'bout," he grumbled as he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

Chuckling at the hanyou's familiar 'I don't brood' façade, Miroku shook his head. "Sure you don't, my friend. Sure you don't."

Leaving Inuyasha alone with his joyful self, the monk joined his wife in search of dry wood. By the time the fire was ready, Shippo returned with two rabbits dangling in his hand, a fat boar on his back and a wide grin stretched across his face.

Dusk settled into night while they enjoyed a hearty meal behind the safety of the barrier Kagome had erected at the cave's entrance. With their stomachs full, the younger members of the group crawled to the back of the cave for a much needed rest while the four adults remained sitting by the fire.

The pups were reluctant to leave their parents' side. They were still too energetic to go to sleep. Miroku surmised that it was to be expected. After ten years of perpetual sleep, he wouldn't have wanted to go to bed, either.

"Then, I kicked him!" exclaimed Raiden as he sprang his foot in the direction of Miroku's crotch to spice up his story of how he had escaped Shippo's hold back in the clearing.

The monk was fast to cover his private parts with his hands before the boy's foot accidentally harmed his most prized possession. "Umm… Well done?" he commented, making the pup grin in response.

Even though his words were appreciated, it was clear that Uncle Miroku was not the one whose approval Raiden was hoping for when his wide eyes turned to his father in expectation.

Inuyasha did not disappoint. He beamed at the child with pride. "That was very brave of you, pup," he said with exaggerated seriousness, causing the boy's smile to widen enough to show all his teeth.

High from his excitement, Raiden started running and tumbling around, growling and roaring in the process and making the adults chuckle at his antics.

"I bit Uncle Kahoku's hand!" piped up Reika from her mother's lap, looking away from the ribbon in her hands to see her father smile down at her.

"That's my princess!" boasted Inuyasha as he patted her head affectionately.

Satisfied that she received her well-deserved praise, the girl turned her attention back to her task.

Once the carefree laughter died down to leave silence in its wake, Kagome looked up at the monk. Her hand caressed Reika's ear, making it twitch in annoyance as she asked, "How did you find out about them?"

Miroku sighed before he took in a deep breath in preparation for his tale. They had put off this conversation for long enough. "When you showed up and did not recognize any of us…," he started in a low voice so as not to take the children's attention. "…I realized that Inuyasha was right about your departure; there was something very wrong with you. That made it possible that Inuyasha was also right about everything he said concerning…" He stopped abruptly, not wanting to voice the deceased high priestess' name in front of the children before he added pointedly, "…_her_."

Inuyasha snorted mockingly, and Miroku didn't have the heart or the right to be annoyed by his attitude. In fact, the hanyou had all the right to blame them for not believing him in the first place and to tell them to go to hell. But, he didn't. Instead, he sat across from the friends that had accused him of madness when he had needed them the most and acted as if nothing had happened.

Miroku had always known that Inuyasha had a kind soul, but he'd had no idea that the half-demon could be so mature or so forgiving. Seeing that made it harder to forgive himself.

He took a moment to appraise the reunited family just because the sight of them made it easier to chase away his guilt. Inuyasha sat cross-legged with his eyes trained on the monk while Kagome sat next to him mirroring his position. Raiden squirmed around his father, trying to discreetly take the Tetsusaiga out of its sheath where it rested on Inuyasha's waist. Each time the boy pulled with all of his strength, he failed, lost his balance and fell on his father's lap. And each time, Inuyasha unconsciously helped the struggling child stand up. Next to the father and son, Reika sat on her mother's lap, diligently braiding the miko's long hair and murmuring a song that had no rhyme to it while Kagome absently stroked the child's back and winced silently every time the girl pulled too hard at her hair.

An amused smile tugged at the corners of Miroku's mouth before he cleared his throat to go back to his story. His gaze returned to Kagome, who was watching him with rapt attention. "I started watching her carefully, then," he continued, still refusing to say Keiko's name. "I didn't notice anything suspicious until Inuyasha's attack on the castle to take you. _She_ inhaled lots of smoke and was very sick after that day, but she insisted on going to the village and performing the monthly ritual to strengthen the barrier. She traveled to the village every single month to perform the ritual personally, and I used to think that it was because of her emotional attachment to the village. But when she insisted on doing it again despite her state, I thought that there had to be something more to it. I asked Sango to spy on her, and she let me know that _she_ prayed for a long time by the Goshinboku."

At the mention of the God Tree where the pups had been bound for years, a harsh curse accompanied by a low growl interrupted the monk's narration, bringing his gaze to the hanyou. Inuyasha was biting his lip to keep the string of profanities Miroku was sure was on the tip of his tongue from spilling out. His hands were balled into fists at his sides; he was trying very hard to retain his composure. His first reaction upon hearing what had happened to his children had been to create a brand new meadow in the middle of the forest. It had been Kagome who had been able to calm him then, and it was her touch on his shoulder that kept him grounded now.

Looking down at the miko's hand, Inuyasha's growls immediately ceased, and a whimper left his lips at the sight of the thin scar on her wrist — the scar his claws had caused. The hanyou's mood shifted swiftly from rage to remorse, but the pain written on his features eased considerably when Kagome gave him a gentle smile and caressed his cheek. Closing his eyes, he placed a kiss on the marred flesh of his wife's wrist before his shoulders finally relaxed.

Seeing the crisis was averted, the monk started poking the fire with a piece of wood as he recounted the rest of his story. "On our way to the Western Castle, I detoured and stopped by the village. I meditated by the Goshinboku for hours until I sensed a protective barrier. I couldn't get past it no matter how hard I tried, but it was obvious that the barrier protected something… something that was hidden. It wasn't hard to guess what it was. What could _she_ have that needed to be concealed and was precious enough to be protected like that?"

Inuyasha snorted again and grumbled, "There's _nothing_ more precious than them."

Scratching his neck, Miroku shrugged as he added, "Like I said, it was only a guess." He turned his gaze back to Kagome, then. "I could have been wrong, so that's why I didn't tell Myoga what you were supposed to find behind that barrier when I asked you to meditate there. I didn't want to give you any false hope."

"Thank you, Miroku," the miko whispered when he was done. Seeing the sentiment mirrored in Inuyasha's eyes made the monk feel much better.

Now that he thought about it, if he and his wife hadn't abandoned Inuyasha all those years ago, they would not have been close to Keiko at all. If that had been the case, it was highly possible that none of them would have found out about the children's fate. That realization brought a smile to the monk's face and lifted the heavy weight off of his conscience.

All eyes turned to Inuyasha when a tiny bare foot kicked him on the chin. Raiden had passed out with his thumb in his mouth after he had crawled into the hanyou's haori, and it appeared that the pup had attacked his father in his quest to get more comfortable in his nest. When Inuyasha looked up from his little boy to his wife, he was bearing the softest smile Miroku had ever seen grace the hanyou's face.

Reika had also fallen asleep in her mother's arms with her tiny fingers clutching the braid she had made of the young woman's hair. A silent conversation passed between the couple, and Inuyasha carefully extracted Raiden from the confines of his haori before standing up along with Kagome. They laid the children down next to the sleeping Kirara at the back of the cave. The hanyou then took off his haori and tucked it around the pups before he reclaimed his place next to his mate by the fire.

Once the couple was seated again, Miroku pinned Inuyasha with the question he had been wondering about for years. "Say, Inuyasha… What did you do to the priestesses you captured?"

Raising an eyebrow, Inuyasha smirked. "Why do you ask? Spying for information, monk?" he asked before he shook his head in mock disapproval. "Shame on you."

Miroku rolled his eyes. The half-demon general's carefree attitude on the subject gave him courage, though. So, when he told him about the disturbing rumors he had heard about the female prisoners' fates, it was easier to do so. "It's said that you forced them to work for your army..." He paused to think of a way to convey his meaning without using the word 'whores' where the children could hear in case one or more of them had awoken. "…to give men pleasure," he concluded after a while, satisfied with his description.

Even when he thought that Inuyasha had lost his mind, the monk never believed in those tales. As a result, he wasn't surprised when the hanyou snorted in response. But, he noticed that Kagome straightened, waiting for her husband's answer with interest.

Seeing that all eyes were on him, Inuyasha shrugged nonchalantly. "What we did is that we had their powers sealed and sent them off to an island protected by a barrier. Trust me; as long as those wenches don't try to cross the barrier, they live a pretty comfortable life there."

"But what about those women in the castle?" chimed in Kagome, earning a confused look from the half-demon. "The ones that came in the middle of the feast," she clarified.

The monk had no idea who the miko was talking about, but he saw Inuyasha's eyes widen in recognition before the hanyou asked, "What about them?"

"Weren't they priestesses as well?"

Miroku caught the tremors in Kagome's voice, but Inuyasha stayed oblivious as he snickered at her question. "Did they seem like priestesses to you?"

The young woman's brows furrowed in confusion. "But… I thought…" she stuttered nervously before her shoulders tensed. "What were they then?" she demanded in annoyance.

Inuyasha's humor died when faced with the miko's ire. "We're in a war," he started reluctantly. "We feed an army in that damn place. What do you expect?" He raised an eyebrow at her, but Kagome continued to look at him in confusion. He sighed tiredly before he muttered, "They were whores — paid ones."

To Miroku's amusement, both women looked at the hanyou sharply with narrowed eyes as they shushed him, afraid that the children would hear. Kagome abruptly stood up and pulled on the sleeve of her mate's shirt to make him follow.

"What?" asked Inuyasha in bewilderment. "I ain't done nothing. You made me say it!" However, his defiance deflated with one exceptionally frightening look from the miko.

Kagome dropped the barrier at the cave's entrance and dragged her husband out before re-erecting it to keep the insiders safe in their absence. The last thing the monk saw before the couple disappeared into the darkness was the hanyou's drooping ears.

Miroku chortled in amusement as he threw his arm around Sango's shoulder and pulled her close. "Those two will never change," he uttered to his wife's hair and felt her nod in agreement. And, since the slayer hadn't commented on his hand's advances toward her lovely bottom, he supposed his diversion was working. When he opened his mouth to make another comment that would keep her attention away from his quest, he was interrupted by Sango's low voice.

"Miroku?"

He stiffened, knowing she didn't like to be groped when they weren't alone. "Yes, Sango?" he asked timidly.

The slayer leaned up and whispered in his ear. "After everything we've been through in the last few days, that was just disappointing." With that, she straddled his lap and proceeded to kiss him, giving her amorous husband a pleasant surprise.

* * *

Inuyasha followed his mate into the night, grumbling about women and their mood shifts. He didn't understand why she was so irritable all of a sudden. It couldn't be simply because of a word he had inadvertently blurted out. Was this about the priestesses? Or was it the whores? He rubbed his forehead with his free hand. He could feel the telltale signs of a headache; he had forgotten how much this woman confused him.

Once they were far enough away to not be heard but were still within sight of the cave, Kagome stopped in front of a tree and turned to face him with her arms crossed in front of her chest. The storm in her blue orbs gave him chills.

"Do you often call those women to your service?" she demanded tersely.

Realizing that it was about the whores — or more specifically, the one he had called to his table during the feast — Inuyasha's first reaction was to defend himself. "Hey! They come for the…" he started, immediately wanting to explain that he had nothing to do with those women. But the look in his miko's eyes stopped him. The hanyou knew that look very well, and he basked in it.

She was jealous.

A mischievous smirk lifted one corner of his mouth up before he snickered. "What if I do?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow as he stepped closer to her, trapping her against the tree.

Kagome's fists clenched, and she bit her trembling lip. Her eyes glimmered oddly bright under the moonlight once they met his golden gaze. Her voice was meek when she asked, "Inuyasha? Have you ever been with…"

The hanyou stopped her question with a finger on her lips. Even though he loved being the center of her attention, he couldn't stand to see her so upset. "The night of the feast," he started as he combed her hair back. Cupping her cheeks so that she couldn't look away, he continued, "I was desperate. I _needed_ you to remember. There had to be _something_ to trigger your memory."

Sadness flooded her eyes, causing them to sparkle like gems under the stars. His words pulled at her lingering guilt for having forgotten who she was and what he was to her; Inuyasha couldn't have that.

"It wasn't hard to see that you wanted me," he added cockily, smirking and making the miko blush as his finger traced an unseen line down her neck. His eyes followed the movement of his hand until it settled over her heart, and he mumbled, "…even though I was already yours."

Her heart skipped a beat, and she sucked in a breath, bringing his loving gaze back to her face. "But you didn't know it. Idiot," the half-demon said as he tapped her nose with the tip of his finger. "So, I thought if I made you jealous or angry, you might unconsciously sit me or something." He finished his explanation with a shrug.

But then, he remembered the way she had sat on his lap instead of subduing him and he chuckled softly. "It didn't work. But what do you know?" He leaned down until his face was a hair's breadth away from hers. His eyes bore into her sapphire orbs, and his lips ghosted over hers as he whispered breathlessly, "Apparently, you don't need to say the damn word to subdue me."

Kagome's cheeks colored so deeply that the hanyou could see it despite the scarce lighting, and thanks to his nose, he could tell that it was more from excitement than embarrassment.

Her small hands closed around his forelocks to keep him close. "Apparently, I don't," she breathed out. "And, you better remember that…" Sapphire orbs bore into golden ones as the miko declared, "…for you _are_ mine, as I'm yours. And, I have no intention of forgetting that ever again."

The tremors of Inuyasha's growl passed from his chest to Kagome's until they reached his hand on her back. The lips that uttered the words the hanyou had been yearning to hear for far too long were suddenly enveloped by his hungry ones. Lips caressed; tongues searched; hands pulled and pushed at clothing, clutched at silky hair; skin burned to touch skin — all in the name of becoming one again.

But, something felt off as what was at first passion morphed into desperation until Inuyasha tasted salt on his miko's honeyed lips. Pulling back from her kisses was always a hard task, but when combined with her protests, it was next to impossible. Though somehow, he did it. Panting, he let go of her hair and cupped her cheeks instead. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern lacing his voice at the sight of her tears. "Kagome?"

Two more beads of liquid sorrow dropped from her eyelashes as the young woman closed her eyes. "I was so scared," she whimpered, trying hard to keep in her sobs. "I thought I was going to lose you. I thought…"

This time, Inuyasha silenced her with the touch of his lips. Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered, "It's over. I'm here. You're here. There's nothing to cry about. Right?"

Kagome sniffled and nodded silently.

Inuyasha grinned then, knowing just how to cheer her up. "You can't get rid of me so easily," he commented lightly, causing the miko to open her eyes in confusion. "So, don't raise your hopes up the next time."

His half-assed joke served well for his purposes and earned an involuntary giggle from Kagome. She slapped his shoulder half-heartedly. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Feh!" Inuyasha snorted with all the arrogance he could muster. "You better."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Jerk," she uttered in an attempt at faking annoyance, but the breathless quality of her voice betrayed her, and it came out more like a term of endearment.

"Wench," he shot back in a whisper and smiled when her eyes glazed over and her lips parted as his warm breath fanned over her sensitive skin.

When his lips caressed hers again, it was an act of worship; when the beat of his heart obediently picked up after hers, it was a profession of undying devotion; and when their hands linked at her sides, it was a manifestation of their unbreakable bond.

But strong was the pull of their bond, it soon turned out to be hard to ignore. Breathing became negligible as soft kisses grew passionate and gentle caresses turned into impatient tugs. Inuyasha didn't need air; his Kagome was the breath of life he needed to survive.

And, he inhaled her greedily.

Her small hands snaked into his shirt to meet his heated skin and ignited a line of fire as they trailed up to his shoulders and down his back. One of her legs rose to his hip only to be wrapped around his waist along with its twin when the hanyou's roaming hands eagerly lifted them up.

A familiar tingle on his aura, a slight disturbance in the air poked at Inuyasha's consciousness; but it was fated to be ignored, just like his basic needs had been ignored for years. But, he could no longer hold back. His hips pressed Kagome firmly to the tree's bark as they grounded against her of their own accord, causing the lovers to groan in bliss.

Layers of clothing could not cut off the heat his miko emitted for him as Inuyasha pushed again and again. Being enveloped in the warmth of her arms, breathing in her heady fragrance and listening to her soft moans made the hanyou's head spin in ecstasy; and he wanted to get lost in this sensation, get lost with her.

But, he had to stop.

And, he did so once the sound of footsteps reached his ears only a few moments after he had smelled a familiar but unwelcome scent. Inuyasha broke the kiss with a frustrated groan and let his wife's legs go. Holding onto her waist, he helped the disoriented miko regain her balance before he dropped his head on her shoulder. "The fucker always has the worst timing," he grumbled against her neck.

"What?" asked Kagome, still in a daze and breathless from his kisses. "Who?"

Inuyasha didn't have to answer her for 'the fucker' chose that moment to speak from the shadow he was still concealed behind. "Almost ten years under my roof, and I see that you have learned nothing about propriety. Tell me, Inuyasha. Do you have to act like a savage animal every time I turn my back?"

Following his voice, Sesshoumaru's pale figure appeared from behind one of the trees. While a blushing Kagome hurried to adjust her shirt, Inuyasha blocked her from his brother's view and sent the dog demon a glare in response to his comments.

"What the fuck are you doing here, bastard?" the hanyou demanded politely.

"Routine scouting, half-breed," snapped the dog demon as his golden gaze swept over the couple and the entrance of the cave behind them.

"Scouting so far ahead?" Inuyasha's eyebrows rose in disbelief. A thought occurred to him then, and he crossed his arms against his chest in a challenging manner. "Wait. Were you looking for me or somethin'?"

"One cannot be blamed for being related to a mongrel who cannot find his way back home."

The meaning behind his brother's words clashed with his disinterested demeanor. A tiny smirk formed on Inuyasha's face. "So, you were looking for me, after all." Forgetting about his annoyance, the half-demon launched into one of his favorite games: make the bastard's eye twitch in rage. "Oh, I'm touched, Sesshoumaru," he mocked with a hand over his heart. "Gimme a hug, you bastard."

"Don't you dare," growled Sesshoumaru, causing the hanyou's smirk to widen. Ignoring his little brother's amusement, he stated, "I'm done tolerating your ignorance, Inuyasha. I've wasted too much time tracking you down. Do I need to remind you that we're in a war? There is an army of demons under my roof, and their idiot general keeps disappearing to rut against trees!"

A tiny squeak brought the two men's matching golden gazes to the raven head peeking over Inuyasha's shoulder. "Umm." Kagome bit her lip nervously before she forced a smile on her face. "Hi, Onii-san."

That earned the miko a murderous glare from the dog demon. Turning to Inuyasha, he raised an eyebrow. "I see that your mate's little head has been restored." Not waiting for an answer, he added, "And, your offspring. I can smell their stench all over you."

"Pups are fine," mumbled Inuyasha. Annoyed as he was with his brother, he still couldn't help the grin that stretched across his lips at the thought of how much his life had changed since the last time he had seen the dog demon.

As if mirroring his expression, Sesshoumaru's lips twitched into a ghost of a smile before it disappeared without a trace. "There was a lot of blood in that clearing. What did you do with the high priestess?"

"Sent her high-ass down to hell."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "One less thing to worry about. You haven't been completely useless, after all."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at his brother's insistence on being an ass.

"Do you think you can manage to bring your family to the castle in one piece?" asked the dog demon as if goading the hanyou was his favorite pastime. Before Inuyasha could retort with an expletive, he added, "On second thought… Now that you have your pathetic group back, perhaps you can."

Ignoring the hanyou's growls, he turned to leave. "Do not linger anymore, Inuyasha," he commanded over his shoulder before looking up to the dark sky as if his eyes could pierce through the night and reveal its secrets. "I sense something foreboding in the air."

The hanyou cursed Sesshoumaru for ruining his mood because now that the dog demon mentioned it, Inuyasha could also feel that something was off. He didn't share it with his miko as he led her back to the cave, however; he didn't want to worry her in case it turned out to be nothing more than an impertinent fear his brother had successfully instilled in him.

Unfortunately, he became even more restless as the ominous feeling only continued to grow as the group took off for the Western Castle the following morning.

End of Chapter 22

*'Onii-san' is what Kagome calls Sesshoumaru in the final chapter of the manga and means 'older brother.' If I recall correctly, that comment earned her a death glare from both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. :D


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